THREAD MASTER'S WAR ROOM: Suggestions for Making the List/Running the Forum

[yin26]

Octopus,

Sure.

Might I add, Ted (everybody), that I can now change titles and so forth after they are created anyway, so all I need is feedback from you guys on how you want things. So, Thread Masters should still do all the hard work here! That's why I hired you.

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CIV3 DEVELOPMENT LIST COORDINATOR

**(un)Officially Making Lists for Firaxis Since SMAC Enhancement 3!**

[This message has been edited by yin26 (edited May 20, 1999).]

[JT]

Yin: Could you close Sing's units thread? I already made one with a summary of the last three threads.

DONE! *Yin*

[This message has been edited by yin26 (edited May 20, 1999).]

[tfs99]

>>>>> Octopus

Re: who creates the new topic

Of course none of things I mention, require that one person create it.

However, one person is in a much better position to enforce standards without requiring that everyone know and get the UBB or HTML code "just right." And as you pointed out, no use in having standards if they are not kept, well, standard.

And since the moderator is the one responsible for locking the old thread, and the one who edits the topic subjects to be standard, it made sense for him to be the one to create a standard new topic "header".

If everyone is left to their own devices to implement the standard, Yin is still left in the position of doing all the cleanup work to bring topics up to par.

Re: having seperate summary areas

I was only thinking long term. If this project is going to go on for months, there are going to be quite a few summaries as time goes by. Seperate summary topics could easily accumulate fifty summaries each. (UNITS is on it's 4th topic already!)

Civ3 n ... Ted S.

[the Octopus]

"However, one person is in a much better position to enforce standards without requiring that everyone know and get the UBB or HTML code "just right.""

Post a template for people to cut and paste.

"And since the moderator is the one responsible for locking the old thread, and the one who edits the topic subjects to be standard, it made sense for him to be the one to create a standard new topic "header"."

No, it makes sense for us all to know what the right standards are, and just do it. There is unlikely to be a lot of "cleanup work". How many times do you think Yin will need to correct somebody before they get the drift?

"If everyone is left to their own devices to implement the standard, Yin is still left in the position of doing all the cleanup work to bring topics up to par."

If we can't trust the thread masters to implement even the most basic things like posting appropriate headers, then we have a bigger problem.

Yin has a big enough job. I, for one, do not want to have a thread started and "get off on the wrong foot" before I am ready for it. I see many drawbacks and almost no advantages to your proposal.


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CIV3-THE MASTER LIST-TECHNOLOGY "THREAD MASTER"

[yin26]

Ted,

My main reason for not wanted to start the titles myself is that I want your names, not mine to be the designated originator. Imagine a board filled with 'yin26'--creepy. You guys are doing the work. Your names should appear.

But the idea of a better place for summaries is appealing. Can everybody give me some feedback on how this can or should be done? Thanks Ted for the ideas.

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CIV3 DEVELOPMENT LIST COORDINATOR

**(un)Officially Making Lists for Firaxis Since SMAC Enhancement 3!**

[Trachmyr]

I just want to commend you guys... you're doing a great job from keeping this from turning into anarchy. Thanks.

[JT]

Someone start a thread for summaries. Everyone posts their latest summary, then when you do the next one, edit your post to fit it. We can bump it to the top every hour or so. This way, it won't be cluttered with posts. I can be the official bumper if you need me to.

[EnochF]

Yin? Er, hello. Enoch here. I've noticed there's a Technology topic, which is progressing nicely, but not a Future Technology topic. I get the sense that most of the people here would rather not have any future tech, but I'd like to get them talking about it. So I'd like official permission (or at least as official as things get around here) to start that topic. Yesno?

[JT]

I'd like some future tech. I want the game to go to at least 2500 AD, so we need some future tech.

[yin26]

EnochF,

If you don't mind, I'd like to first invite Octopus do run that thread, since he is already doing the Tech thread. If he's too busy, though, you're the man! Thanks.

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CIV3 DEVELOPMENT LIST COORDINATOR

**(un)Officially Making Lists for Firaxis Since SMAC Enhancement 3!**

[This message has been edited by yin26 (edited May 20, 1999).]

[tfs99]

>>>>> Yin26

I hear you. Folks here at Apolyton got their fill of seeing your name on topics weeks ago.

>>>>> Octopus

Easy there big fella. You've got eight arms. I've only got two.

Re: Standard Topic Headers

Cutting and pasting an HTML and/or UBB template is a great idea. I considered that myself, but could not figure a way to post the code here without trashing the HTML tags and UBB codes. Perhaps a template could be e-mailed. Or maybe there's a simple way to post that kinda stuff here.

I'm still not confident that all of us are gonna get it right. But trying it is an easy way to convince me I'm wrong!

Re: Topic Summaries

Basically there are four ways to go:

1) Post summaries when warranted in the "body" of a MASTER LIST topic

2) Post summaries (partial or comprehensive) whenever a "fresh" MASTER LIST topic is created

3) Post all summaries in a separate, but all encompassing, MASTER LIST SUMMARIES topic

4) Post summaries in summary topics each specifically devoted to different MASTER LIST topics

My opinion is #4 is the way to go. People could get to the specific summary topics through the standard header or the launch pad.

Civ3 n ... Ted S.

[yin26]

O.K. We have some good ideas here on summaries. What do you guys think?

[JT]

I think we should summarize what's happened so far at the begginning of each new thread, but we should also do what I said before about a seperate thread. That way, if you want to see what people have said so far without wading through 50 posts, you can!


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-Civ3 Thread Master of OTHER and UNITS.
"We get the paperwork, you get the game!"

[EnochF]

Tell you what. When I check the board tomorrow morning, if Octopus hasn't started a Future Tech topic, I'll start one on my own. For now, I've gotta scram for the night...

[the Octopus]

I don't think that a separate "Future Technology" thread is a good idea. There are already enough cross-connections between various threads without making distinctions like this. If you want to ask the question "what time period should Civ III span" that sounds like an "Other" question, if you want to propose that a specific technology be included in the game, that is a "Technology" question. If there is a second "Future Technology" thread, there will be confusion, and countless "I just posted this in the other thread, but it applies here, too..." (even more than there are now, with our relatively distinct topics).

tfs99: Liberal use of &amplt; (less than) and &ampgt; (greater than) can make what you are trying to do easier. For example:

<a href=http://apolyton.net/forums/Forum28/HTML/000014.html>Wow, a link!</a&gt

ought to look like this

<a href=http://apolyton.net/forums/Forum28/HTML/000014.html>Wow, a link</a>

If that wasn't clear:

When you type &amplt; it looks like this: &lt;
When you type &ampgt; it looks like this: &gt;

Speaking of standard headers, People should look at what I have at the beginning of Technology 1.1 (which I will repost when I summarize for Technology 1.2). I think we can use that as a starting point for our discussion of the standard opening (e.g. "you shouldn't have said that! That's horrible! You totally forgot about _____!" ). Either that, or make a proposal of your own.



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CIV3-THE MASTER LIST-TECHNOLOGY "THREAD MASTER"