RPG Section

[BurntHouse]

Looking at the RPG section of the site... I see a confused mess of threads.

OOC: AWESOME RP
RP: JOIN THIS
SIGNUP: VAMPIRES LOL
OOC: VAMPIRES LOL
IC: AWESOME RP
THREAD THAT DOESN'T BELONG
OOC: JOIN THIS

In a single page I see about three different RPs with multiple topics... and it gets messy to single out which one I should look at first before joining, or reading, or even considering to join the RP. I thought of a few simple things that could fix that up.

SUGGESTION 1: RP Signup Subforum

There's a great subforum section for Tabletop Role Plays, I wondered to myself if there should be a seperate subforum for people to post their Sign-up threads in to avoid clashing with the threads that contain the actual RP. GMs can post the sign-up for their RP, add a link to the thread that contains the actual RP, and avoid causing a mess of threads.

SUGGESTION 2: Mod's stamp of approval

I see there's already a system in place for Mods to approve an RP.

A simpler way of doing things, and a way to let other members see what's being approved and dissaproved, is for the GM to post their RP in the sign-up area to spark interest. The Mods then judge the RP, seeing if there's enough interest for it to be active enough along other criteria they desire.

This way, if the GM posts their suggestion for an RP, a fellow member can then give suggestions and opinions instead of hiding behind the masks of PMs to Mods. Allowing member input speeds things up, and makes things easier for the Mods.

[BurntHouse]

*bumping*

Any thoughts at all?

[GameGeeks]

Considering they're marked Sign up, ooc and RP I don't really see what the problem is. Not that hard to figure out really, and the ones that don't have this probably haven't been approved and shouldn't really be there. And with that said, your second suggestion is already in place.

[BurntHouse]

Considering they're marked Sign up, ooc and RP I don't really see what the problem is. Not that hard to figure out really, and the ones that don't have this probably haven't been approved and shouldn't really be there. And with that said, your second suggestion is already in place.

It just offers a form of orginization. If I saw an RP that looked interesting, I shouldn't have to hunt for the signup thread when it can be found in a subforum meant for signup threads. Also, I think combining OOC and Signup threads will eliminate a lot of clutter. It's just what I noticed from sites that contained RPing, and were successful.

Also, my second suggestion isn't already in place. I'm talking about people posting RP Signups before they're approved, to get them in the public eye to see if there's any interest, and it gives the Mods something to work with seeing if anyone is interested in the RP or not.

[Zandan]

Well, I agree with the sub-forum, I thought about it myself a bit. But it's pretty easy to find what I need. It does seem a bit cluttered sometimes though.

[BurntHouse]

Have any Mods looked at this yet?

[BurntHouse]

*Double post bump*

Seeing how no mods have given their two cents yet, I'd like to use that as yet another good reason for suggestion #2.

Seeing how it takes a few days for a mod to respond to an RP request, it can be anti-climatic to submit an RP, only to see "Read rules, try again" three + days later. What happens if the RP maker a question? Will there also be a 3 day respond time as well?

This is where it helps to post the RP where members such as myself can see them. That way, we can help out with questions asked, and give advice when needed. It also makes the RP section more communal.

[BurntHouse]

Triple bump:

Seeing that it's been a week, and still no Mods have given their two cents. I hereby declaire that I am officially invisible to the Mods. Because of this, all should expect me to take full advantage of my new found powers as I will break into their houses and steal all the toilet paper ;3

[GameGeeks]

I suggest just PMing one of the two RPG mods.

[Eris]

Triple bump:

Seeing that it's been a week, and still no Mods have given their two cents. I hereby declaire that I am officially invisible to the Mods. Because of this, all should expect me to take full advantage of my new found powers as I will break into their houses and steal all the toilet paper ;3

This isn't a matter for the mods in general, but for the RPG mods (LadyPSerenity and ShadowWalker) and the admins.

I think the admins have been very scarce recently. Not entirely sure why.

[*Tsuki*]

^ That's true. -_-

Anyway, I see no problem with how it is, now.
Or, at least, it might provide more problems if your second way was put into affect along with the first, or without the first.
If people start randomly posting their ideas for rps, there will be a lot more of them to go through and will make a lot of clutter. If you find an rp that you would like to join, and go to the subforum to look for it, (rather than just looking at the other threads the person has posted or searching for the sign up using the handy dandy search button) it may be bumped off the first page by someone else posting thoughts randomly of rps that should be made.
People might also abuse this way of being set up and randomly start posting their rp ideas, not caring if they're serious or not. If the mods don't come on for a day/week/month, and the sign ups are filled with nonsensical rp ideas, it may drive many serious rpers away.
That's kind of extreme, but you get my point.

EDIT: Also, you may not get an answer from the rp mods because this is in the site issues/ questions rather than the rp section.
They may not always be lookin' over here.

[-Ro-]

I actually think there's some truth to what BurntHouse said (I don't know about mod activity, tho). I believe the way the RPG forum is arranged with the OOC and RPs is fine, but it would be nice for some kind of a "RPG suggestion box" forum to be put in place to allow GMs to post their yet-to-be-approved RPGs for everyone to see until it is either approved or unapproved by mods. It's a good idea for them to factor how many people are interested in a given RPG. That way it isn't just one-sided. Also, for some situations maybe it can be like a collaborative effort, in case the GM wants some help from anyone interested in joining regarding whatever feedback the mods would give (either through PM or on the suggestion box thread) so it will get approved.

[BurntHouse]

Anyway, I see no problem with how it is, now.

A problem I see is the clutter, which can be easily fixed in my opinion which is why I made this thread

The problem with the Mod approval system is the fact that it's done behind closed doors, and can be slow at times. If the RP is posted pre-approval, it gives time for members to look at it, decide if it's fun, create characters, etc, etc. By the time the RP mod gives suggestions for improvement or approves the RP, it could have a good number of characters ready to begin the RP.

The response time also hurts when a member has a simple question, although this issue can be easily solved with a sticky "RP QUESTIONS HERE!" thread.

If people start randomly posting their ideas for rps, there will be a lot more of them to go through and will make a lot of clutter.

It truely depends, and from what I've seen in previous sites that have RP sections, this really wasn't an issue. RPs that are well written, and successful, normally dominate the top of the page since it normally provides discussion on what will happen next. While a poorly written RP will more or less get views, but never the less ignored by general members.

However, that gives members like myself who has plenty of experience creating RPs to give advice when the Mods are busy with other affairs.

If you find an rp that you would like to join, and go to the subforum to look for it, (rather than just looking at the other threads the person has posted or searching for the sign up using the handy dandy search button) it may be bumped off the first page by someone else posting thoughts randomly of rps that should be made.

While I understand your point... it'll have to take a very devoted RPer with about twenty different RP ideas who happens to post them at the same time, to bump active RPs off the top. And it's not like the search button is rendered invalid through my suggestion.

People might also abuse this way of being set up and randomly start posting their rp ideas, not caring if they're serious or not. If the mods don't come on for a day/week/month, and the sign ups are filled with nonsensical rp ideas, it may drive many serious rpers away.
That's kind of extreme, but you get my point.

The problem I see there is the inactivity of the Mods. I really don't see the RP sign up section suddenly becoming a heaven for spam.

If they really have trouble monitoring all of the RPs (which I don't think will be many) at once, then that can be solved by adding another Mod to help out.

EDIT: Also, you may not get an answer from the rp mods because this is in the site issues/ questions rather than the rp section.
They may not always be lookin' over here.

Hmmmm, if only there was a sticky thread for "RP questions" in the RP section.

[*Tsuki*]

A problem I see is the clutter, which can be easily fixed in my opinion which is why I made this thread

The problem with the Mod approval system is the fact that it's done behind closed doors, and can be slow at times. If the RP is posted pre-approval, it gives time for members to look at it, decide if it's fun, create characters, etc, etc. By the time the RP mod gives suggestions for improvement or approves the RP, it could have a good number of characters ready to begin the RP.

The response time also hurts when a member has a simple question, although this issue can be easily solved with a sticky "RP QUESTIONS HERE!" thread.


It truely depends, and from what I've seen in previous sites that have RP sections, this really wasn't an issue. RPs that are well written, and successful, normally dominate the top of the page since it normally provides discussion on what will happen next. While a poorly written RP will more or less get views, but never the less ignored by general members.

However, that gives members like myself who has plenty of experience creating RPs to give advice when the Mods are busy with other affairs.


While I understand your point... it'll have to take a very devoted RPer with about twenty different RP ideas who happens to post them at the same time, to bump active RPs off the top. And it's not like the search button is rendered invalid through my suggestion.

The problem I see there is the inactivity of the Mods. I really don't see the RP sign up section suddenly becoming a heaven for spam.

If they really have trouble monitoring all of the RPs (which I don't think will be many) at once, then that can be solved by adding another Mod to help out.

Hmmmm, if only there was a sticky thread for "RP questions" in the RP section.

Yeah, that was an extreme situation. xD

But, see, with this forum . . . I can see the people who aren't usually in the RP section replying to silly little rps. Like here While people who are really serious about rping find it somewhat insulting. <.<

Also, putting it the way you have, will it really make a difference?
Doesn't it still have to be approved by the mods before it starts going?
Then the time will still be the same for it to be approved, if not longer.

Plus, if you're putting questions in the rp sign up about it being approved, the mod will have to read through all the people trying to enter in order to find the question. Even then, they may not know when a person posts a question about their rp.
If there's a separate sticky for asking questions about sign ups, it becomes cluttered with a lot of questions from different rps. People will have to post which rp they are from each time, and the mod will have an even harder time keeping them all straight. They'll also have to go through a lot of those questions in order to answer them and then delete ones when they get old. . .
I dunno, I just see problems with what you say.

Even adding a new mod . . . still a lot to handle.

[BurntHouse]

Yeah, that was an extreme situation. xD

But, see, with this forum . . . I can see the people who aren't usually in the RP section replying to silly little rps. Like here While people who are really serious about rping find it somewhat insulting. <.<

I've RPed for quite some time... and lo' and behold I do it because it's fun. Never the less, I posted that very same RP on two other RP sites that were considered "serious" and they welcomed it as it was very "different" and offered a chance for people who weren't thinking too much about RPing to try it and have fun at the same time.

If people were truely offended by that, then I really can't do anything about it can I? It's like I offend a group of people by drinking a can of Coke while they drink Pepsi...

Also, putting it the way you have, will it really make a difference?

According to you, yes it will make a difference. Granted your versions of the difference it'll make is slightly different then mine.

Doesn't it still have to be approved by the mods before it starts going?
Then the time will still be the same for it to be approved, if not longer.

How will it take longer? My previous post actually showed how it would save time! Where did you get the idea it'd take longer?

Plus, if you're putting questions in the rp sign up about it being approved, the mod will have to read through all the people trying to enter in order to find the question.

Not if there's a sticky thread... >.>

Even then, they may not know when a person posts a question about their rp.

Only if they ignore the sticky thread... >.>

If there's a separate sticky for asking questions about sign ups, it becomes cluttered with a lot of questions from different rps.

Only if 25 different people suddenly appear from different RPs to ask seperate questions.... at the same time.

See, I offer this advice from my own experience from being an RP mod, and the situations you give are more or less non-existant. Heck, even if they did exist there's a chance that Members like myself can help out by answering questions as well.

Thus saving time for the Mods!

People will have to post which rp they are from each time, and the mod will have an even harder time keeping them all straight.

As opposed to searching through their inbox folders...

They'll also have to go through a lot of those questions in order to answer them and then delete ones when they get old. . .

What? Delete questions? Why?

And yes, Mods will have to answer the questions. That's what they signed up for when they wanted to help right? I'm not sure how making a "question thread" suddenly makes it much harder then answering questions through PMs, espectially when helpful experienced members are willing to answer questions as well.

It also works when a member has a question, but sees that their question has already been answered in the question thread, they suddenly have the answer without even posting! See how that saves even more time?

I dunno, I just see problems with what you say.

Even adding a new mod . . . still a lot to handle.

Again, I give this advice as being a previous RP mod in many different sites. It's a formula that makes things easier to track for Mods and Members. I just thought it'd be a good idea for this forum!

[*Tsuki*]

*shrugs*
I see it as, the thread'll get really long if they don't delete posts.
Meh. It's not up to me, anyway, pm the mods and ask them.

[BurntHouse]

I see it as, the thread'll get really long if they don't delete posts.

Do RPs get harder for the RPers the longer the thread gets? Sure, if they're gone for awhile the questions may stack up... but that's what happens when they're gone for awhile, and either way their PMs would equally stack up.

If they're in public view, people like myself can answer them.

And I'll send them a PM, although isn't one of the RP mods also the mod for this section as well?

[-Ro-]

I can see the people who aren't usually in the RP section replying to silly little rps. Like here While people who are really serious about rping find it somewhat insulting. <.<

I really liked the whole NarutoRPG thing . This "excellent well written RPG" by BurntHouse made me nearly die laughing. It could bring new people to the RPG section that usually don't and that can only be a positive thing. This shouldn't insult other RPers and maybe the setting or whatever could be altered to make them more comfortable to bring them in - something simple as name the lands after animals (I thought of some easily). The regular RPers have certain credibility in regards to RPG section arrangements, but BurntHouse has credibility too by being a RPG mod at another site and trying 'narutopia' out at other sites with success. naruworld = win

EDIT: I want to say I'm not one-sided. I see why RPers would feel insulted when they put hard work into making RPGs. The only way this one will be a real "win" is if both sides are satisfied with the outcome.