[@HushedWhispers], initially I thought they were a complete waste of time. Only later on did I realize how important they were. Unlike in most RPs (at least ones which I have participated) the characters meet each other for the first time. These guys have been acquainted to one another for quite a long time. They had a history off screen. Four years of history to be precise. It was necessary for the participants to coordinate how they were gonna interact with one another.