Playtesting forum and Actual Play forum
Ron Edwards:
I'll deal with it here. After GenCon.
Best, Ron
Lance D. Allen:
Okay, Ron didn't say "please don't post anymore until I get back", which he usually does when he means that. Regardless, I'm going to say a couple things, then wait for his return.
Quote
Quote
I don't really care what forum posts are in when I'm reading. I use the "Show unread posts since last visit" link at the top almost exclusively and click anything that interests me.
Then you're a power user (a skilled user.) That's maybe 10% of everyone? The other 90% just visit whatever boards they visit. Like I never visit playtesting (I always forget it's there... as evidence by the mistake I made where I posted my playtesting into actual play.) I don't use the feature you mentioned, and even if I did, other people don't.
It's interesting to me that Ron has stated that he dislikes this feature, because it tends to encourage people to only look at the new threads. It's not considered an advanced feature at all. (for the record: upper left hand corner, under where it'd say "Hey David C, you have x messages, y are new.")
That said, what you're saying doesn't seem like a failure of the design of the forum or a failure of the technology, but instead a failure of the community. A failure on my part as well, specifically. I'd have looked at your post regardless of where you put it for the same reason as Adam: I don't usually click into the individual forums, unless I'm looking for a discussion I was already following that doesn't show up under show unread. I read posts based on what the topic line is, and who the user is. Sometimes that means I'll look at a post by a new user, because they're new and I don't know who they are, or what they're bringing to the table. Sometimes that means I'll look at a post because the user has come onto my radar (such as you). I've also made a point to look a little more often at "First Thoughts" threads, because I know that people giving you feedback is important to getting through a design.
Apparently I have been dropping the ball on the equally important part of playtesting. If nothing else your post highlights that, for me.
Frank Tarcikowski:
Quote from: David C on August 11, 2009, 12:34:48 AM
Why wouldn't we treat our forum board the same way? Couldn't "First Thoughts," "Actual Play" and "Playtesting" be better replaced with just "Design" and "Play"?
When I first came to the Forge, the forums were:
Actual Play
Indie Game Design
RPG Theory
GNS Model Discussion
At some point, RPG Theory and GNS Model Discussion were closed for good, and Indie Game Design was closed to be replaced by First Thoughts, Playtesting and Endeavour, who moved above Actual Play. You can find the closed-down forums in the "Archive" section. I'm sure Ron will explain his motives in this change of forum architecture once he gets back.
- Frank
Selene Tan:
Ron explained his motives for splitting up Indie Game Design in Forum re-construction under way. First Thoughts was meant to provide an entry point for people new to the site who could then be asked about how their actual play experiences informed their design. Playtesting was meant for anyone beyond that stage, with focused questions that are best resolved by playtesting, or for people to discuss the results of said playtests. Endeavor was for participating in design challenges to announce and discuss them.
Graduation, the sticky at the top of the GNS Model Discussion explains why it closed -- it had finished serving its purpose. Farewall to the forum, not the theory, the sticky at the top of RPG Theory, explains why it closed -- to ground theory discussion in actual play.
And in This one's important, Ron encourages people to reply to posts in Indie Game Design rather than hiding out in RPG Theory and GNS Model Discussion.
David C:
We could sit here all day and make arguments about how it is structured. I think it is important to look at how the community uses the boards. Hasn't anyone else noticed all the confusion when new people get here? I mean, the other 5 boards all make sense and it is quite clear what goes on there. Also, people get the answers and feedback they need there. If First Thoughts is supposed to be "Welcome to the Forge" than that should be made clear. As it is, it is the second most used board. If 98% of designing an Indy RPG is supposed to go into Playtesting, than Playtesting is woefully underused. If Actual Play is for "Playing Indy RPGs" than that should be made clear. Right now, the 3 boards' names and descriptions are too broad and encompassing.
If I was going to design this forum like I would design a game, it would probably be something like this, because these are the stages you move through as you develop a game.
(1st forum header/group "RPG Design")
Welcome to the Forge! - Post here to introduce yourself and your game design. Also post here if you are beginning a new game.
Design - Post here as you work on your game.
Connections
Publishing
Conventions
(2nd Forum Header)
Everything else
One trick I learned back when I ran a forum board for discussing Hobby Remote Control Vehicles (back in the golden days of the internet where you could get free web hosting with no ads), your forums has to be proportional to your traffic. Think of it as a party. If you have 50 people show up to a 50 room mansion, it's not much of a party. But 50 people at a 5 room beach house is a really awesome party. On the other hand, 50 people in a 1 room cabin is really terrible.
Navigation
[0] Message Index
[#] Next page
[*] Previous page