Suggestion: Each game being started should have an initial post advertising the game. In it's title would be the code DM if it has a dm.
First post to include the following:
*Info on the type of game (what realm or genre it is located in such as Sci fi or D&D Forgotten Realms or Dragonlance or a special setting -described. Such details as 'low magic land' or high magic or warriors are highly sought after etc. can be listed here if the creator of the game wants that info available. Deities and other details may also be listed here.
*Info on WHO is invited to play (clans only, anyone, only certain types of characters needed, ie: it's a dwarves only game).. etc.
*How many players are needed. Special rules/requirements (such as no magic weapons in initial inventory or must be level three and dm'd by rules), or dm'd loosely, no special requirements etc.
* Players could post their character stats and bios here too.
Ideally THIS would be the overall explanation of the game and what is needed for it. So that potential players may decide to ask to join or not. It would ALSO serve as a reference for players AFTER they join the game. They can go back to check details or even see stats of another player in the game if they need to.
*side note- if the thread is locked and a player wants to post his character's new stats etc after leveling up, the dm can ask a mod to do that - or the thread can be left unlocked so players may add at any time but a note can be added that AFTER the game is closed, it would be appreciated if only the creator of the game or players posted to it to keep it a clean reference thread.
POTENTIAL PLAYERS WOULD DO NEGOTIATING OF CHARACTER PARTICULARS IN PM OR EMAIL so as not to clog the thread- and leave the important info to be seen by new players or just anyone interested in following the adventure. Please keep in mind, that some people may just LIKE lurking or reading your story/adventures without participating. [img]smile.gif[/img]
AFTER the creator of the game has filled his need for characters he/she would then post in that thread that the game was full up and could ask for the thread to be locked if necessary
The game itself would then begin in a separate thread labeled with DM if necessary and the VERY first post should indicate if the game is closed or if the DM will listen to more requests to join the party. Such requests to be done in PM or email.
I think this would greatly reduce the clutter of many threads doing basically the above which can be done in 2 AND it makes a uniform means of advertising and beginning a game.
I don't want to see us make too strict a set of rules/but rather looser guidelines, because I'm not here to police you all, but rather to help the forum run smoothly. I think Larry will agree with me that we don't have time or inclination to watch every single post for tiny infractions of many many rules.
BASIC rules such as don't crash a closed game are certainly necessary, but in the end
ALL RULES ARE MEANT TO ENHANCE THE FUN OF THE FORUM NOT TO MAKE PEOPLE WORRY ABOUT CONFORMING TO AVOID A SLAP ON THE WRIST. [img]smile.gif[/img] We can still have free-flowing games that don't really have dm's such as the ORT building and only the BASIC forum rules (set down by Ziroc) about staying in character and not flaming etc. can really apply to those games.
Any thoughts on the above? I'm opening this up to discussion so we can get ourselves started.
Note to our hardworking Larry-mod : [img]smile.gif[/img] I was thinking that I would like to see a limited number of sticky threads at the top. Too many clogs the top of the board and I think people won't bother to read them if we have more than 3 or 4. Perhaps Ziroc's rules can be incorporated with the above or any variation we decide upon into one thread with a few major posts then locked and made sticky. I was thinking too, that keeping a running list of who is in charge of what clan (short description of clan) for new members is a good idea. [img]smile.gif[/img] Maybe just that info, so it's not hard to keep current? With a note that if anyone is interested in joining a clan they should contact the person listed for that clan by pm or email or post to a clanhold thread.
I'll gladly type up the final 'guidelines and rules' thread and maintain it if you don't mind continuing the work on keeping up the clan listings that you've been so diligently doing all this time!
OK any thoughts on this or other suggestions are now welcome, please discuss and give your opinons for or against and we'll be able to formulate our first official guidelines soon!
PS: This set of suggestions (above) would also make it fairly clear whether a game is open for players or closed and not accepting any more. That would at once clear up any confusion and also make the games more inviting. If a spot opened up in a game the creator could post a request for new /replacement players to his/her game.
It should be noted that Clan Hold threads would need to periodically announce that they are open to all who want to join - especially in the first post of a new thread.