O4 mirror: https://scp-wiki.wikidot.com/forum/t-17848275/discussion-scps-outside-standard-range
Given some recent revelations regarding the speed at which we're filling up the current available series, I think we need to have a formal discussion with how to handle the availability of open slots prior to the start of the 10kcon, which is not scheduled until summer of next year.
There's roughly 400 slots in Series 10, with roughly 50 in Series 9. Over half of the available slots have been filled since 9K in October, meaining we are certainly going to run out of space long before the contest team is prepared to begin 10k.
Of course, we could always force through an early 10kcon, but that would be an undue burden on contest staff and seriously throw a spanner in the works with regards to current event scheduling. The team, I imagine, is beleagured as it is, and I think this would not be an ideal solution.
I would like to propose what I feel is a simple fix: allowing for SCPs to be posted outside the standard range, using the title in place of the URL, and creating a tag to denote these until such time as 10k concludes, contest winners given their chosen slots, and the new series opens.
I'd like to discuss the feasibility/acceptability of this as an option. Purely mechanical, it does not upset or reconfigure site operations or standards beyond a temporary url change. 10K opens, the winner and runner ups are allowed their chosen slots, then Outside-Range scps can be moved into mainlist urls.
It should be on the author to move their own work once 10k opens to the public, but barring that, a new tag "outside-range' could be applied to these for ease of finding. Once a certain time period has passed, staff can move these SCPs if the author is absent.
To give a concrete example, once slots are filled, an author would post their SCP, "The Murder Hat" thusly:
Within the confines of the file, it is up to the author to determine how they'll refer to their subject1, but functionally, they'd occupy a url outside the mainlist in the same way tales do. Beyond changing to actual numbers post 10kcon, there's no additonal work needed. (Well, a listpage could be made for readers to browse these works, perhaps ordered alphabetically, but that's it.)
Do note this is not an open discussion of site standards. It is not a discussion regarding deletions caps. It is not a discussion for the removal of any works. Please stay on-topic.