Challenge Opening Arguments

I don't want to cover the recent thread created by admin in the edeb8 subforum, so I am doing this in the community subforum.

Every time I accept a challenge with a new member, I have no idea what the debate is going to be like. The only thing I can judge from is the profile pic of the challenger.

I thought it would be a good idea to allow debaters write an opening argument during the challenge phase, but then I realized this could only function for the affirmative. It would help me greatly if there was a pitch or framing round that can be added for viewing during the challenge phase of the debate, to give a better idea of the actual debater before accepting.

Unfortunately, due to the covering of features with the addition of the advanced options filter, this feature would likely be overlooked by members joining the site and creating a debate.

Crow: More importantly I feel like it would give a contender's advantage, don't you? Because then when you prep, you're prepping for an argument, not a resolution.

admin: Not sure what you mean.

I wouldn't want what I am proposing to have any influence on debate judgements, but I do feel it is important to have a little information to go on when deciding to accept a debate by a new member.

Crow: Wasn't that part of the point of profiles?

admin: Most of which are blank.

Speaking of which, new members would be more likely to customize their profiles if the settings were shoved in their faces as well.