Roleplayers use the wiki for your character sheets!

[Iscin]

Is it not a drag to always have to waste the first dozen posts in a roleplay thread with setting up who your characters are, backstory and more? Well I for one think it is about time we start using the SciFiFur.net wiki to reduce the waste of space. I have already started a category for it called simply put "Roleplay characters".

When you create a new wiki page with your RP character just add [[Category:Roleplay characters]] at the bottom of your wiki page and it will be added to it.

What can you add to a character profile? Anything from the basics to the advanced mythos of their background and what skills they have. I haven't really completed my own but you can already take a look at what I mean with one I made earlier (Blue Peter style): http://www.scififur.net/wiki/Iscin_Character_Sheet

Well I hope RPers will start using the wiki for keeping their bulk info stored whilst leaving the forums free for the actual storytelling, that is my hope .

--Iscin, Assistant Director

[Daryn]

I suspect that people will need a little nudging in order to get used to using the wiki. RP Character bios and World specific details is sort of what I had in mind when we went ahead with the idea of having a wiki in the first place.

[Iscin]

I suspect that people will need a little nudging in order to get used to using the wiki. RP Character bios and World specific details is sort of what I had in mind when we went ahead with the idea of having a wiki in the first place.

Which is why I am making this thread Daryn . Of course people will still create threads how they want to and that's fine but if staff don't try to do this then members won't either will they? Lead by example and all that jazz =o.=.O=

[Kitsune]

I like the idea. I'm probably going to start doing it, but I do have one question. How is it going to be organised for different RPs? Will there be different categories inside that one for each RP, or should we mention it in the character bios somewhere?

[Iscin]

I like the idea. I'm probably going to start doing it, but I do have one question. How is it going to be organised for different RPs? Will there be different categories inside that one for each RP, or should we mention it in the character bios somewhere?

Categorise them into your specific RP universe if they are actively being used in such in the forums, I'd just say go wild for now and I'll try to keep an eye on making sure things stay organised in the wiki. The main point is just to get stuff in the WIKI so we can leave the forums free from clutter and focused on the RPs and topics for discussion.

In short: Don't worry about it, if things get disorganised then staff (probably me) can re-organise everything.

[Dusty]

I'm not entirely a fan of this idea as it seems to decentralize the role play a little bit too much. With a RP like The Sins I can see the need for a place to store mountains of back ground information for the universe but for something like EoS I think its better to keep it all in one thread rather then having to refer to another section of the site for character sheets.

[Iscin]

I'm not entirely a fan of this idea as it seems to decentralize the role play a little bit too much. With a RP like The Sins I can see the need for a place to store mountains of back ground information for the universe but for something like EoS I think its better to keep it all in one thread rather then having to refer to another section of the site for character sheets.

Lots of other more developed RP forums do it Dusty, fact is this is something that is pretty logical and done by the majority of forum RPers. It does not decentralise since it is in fact centralising important things where they need to be for reference without clogging threads.
If you have a logical reason for not liking it then do say but otherwise don't say you don't like something just because.

[Dusty]

Lots of other more developed RP forums do it Dusty, fact is this is something that is pretty logical and done by the majority of forum RPers. It does not decentralise since it is in fact centralising important things where they need to be for reference without clogging threads.
If you have a logical reason for not liking it then do say but otherwise don't say you don't like something just because.

Is my opinion not reason enough to state a dislike for something? I prefer coke over pepsi, not because there is concrete proof that it is better, but because I simply like it more.

As for logic I have alot of a RP expirience and have never seen this method before. Most RP's I've been in have been, at most, two thread affairs with a simple OOC thread for OOC discussion/character sheets and a IC thread for the actual roleplaying. I'm not saying this is a terrible idea and should be burned down I'm simply stating that I think its asking for more effort then its worth when a simple OOC board or a GM editing character sheets into the intial post (granted I haven't been doing it lately but if its such an issue I most certainly will start).

Most RP's are not like The Sins where they have litterally a wiki's worth of background information. Good ones develope the background as they go along with the players with nothing more then a framework presented in the first post. I'm not stopping anyone from doing it but if I start another RP I will ask that they post the character sheet in the thread at least. By all means keep doing this, I think the wiki in a interesting tool, but I most likely would be making wide use of it any time soon.

[Iscin]

Is my opinion not reason enough to state a dislike for something? I prefer coke over pepsi, not because there is concrete proof that it is better, but because I simply like it more.

As for logic I have alot of a RP expirience and have never seen this method before. Most RP's I've been in have been, at most, two thread affairs with a simple OOC thread for OOC discussion/character sheets and a IC thread for the actual roleplaying. I'm not saying this is a terrible idea and should be burned down I'm simply stating that I think its asking for more effort then its worth when a simple OOC board or a GM editing character sheets into the intial post (granted I haven't been doing it lately but if its such an issue I most certainly will start).

Most RP's are not like The Sins where they have litterally a wiki's worth of background information. Good ones develope the background as they go along with the players with nothing more then a framework presented in the first post. I'm not stopping anyone from doing it but if I start another RP I will ask that they post the character sheet in the thread at least. By all means keep doing this, I think the wiki in a interesting tool, but I most likely would be making wide use of it any time soon.

Of course your opinion is valid but to be clear this is not compulsory but advised. You can still do your RPs however you like Dusty but I want to streamline and create a more professional system. Fact is all I have is your word for "alot of RP expirience" whereas I personally have both seen these systems and had other VERY professional RPers (One being from Shadowlack http://shadowlack.com/ ) that have specifically used a system like this and want to see it in SciFiFur.net
As for all that faffing about before a role play actually starts fact is I already suggested a prep board for role plays dubbed "The Airlock Cycle" which would allow GMs and players to setup what they are going to do in a game before they actually start it.

[Dusty]

Shadowlack is a Science Fantasy Play-by-Post RPG and World-Building project centralized around the planet Ramath-lehi.

From the front page of your link. For large RP worlds with lots of backstory the wiki is an amazing tool yes. However a simple OOC thread is plenty for the smaller rp's here like EoS or lore's Star Trek rp. I'm not saying don't use the wiki. I'm just saying I believe for smaller rp's that arn't creating massive RP worlds for dozens of characters its not really a step worth taking.

I didn't see the thread whee you suggested the OOC thread but I would whole heartily support that since its a very efficient system for smaller role-play games.

[Iscin]

From the front page of your link. For large RP worlds with lots of backstory the wiki is an amazing tool yes. However a simple OOC thread is plenty for the smaller rp's here like EoS or lore's Star Trek rp. I'm not saying don't use the wiki. I'm just saying I believe for smaller rp's that arn't creating massive RP worlds for dozens of characters its not really a step worth taking.

I didn't see the thread whee you suggested the OOC thread but I would whole heartily support that since its a very efficient system for smaller role-play games.

1) The last thing we need is TWO systems running parallel, of course we don't want to try and force everyone to use the wiki but I think that it should be highly encouraged even for profiles of small RPs if they involve complex characters (as they still often do).
2) Of course you didn't see the other threads because they were staff only I'm just telling you that more things are in the works I just want to start drawing attention to the wiki with this thread.

[Dusty]

1) The last thing we need is TWO systems running parallel, of course we don't want to try and force everyone to use the wiki but I think that it should be highly encouraged even for profiles of small RPs if they involve complex characters (as they still often do).
2) Of course you didn't see the other threads because they were staff only I'm just telling you that more things are in the works I just want to start drawing attention to the wiki with this thread.

1.) I don't see what the issue with having the wiki available for large RP worlds or for specific backstory documents that can't be done in one post, while at the same time letting smaller roleplays simply use the tried and true 1 thread or 2 thread method. I'm not saying the wiki is a bad idea I'm simply saying that in my opinion its usefulness is directly proportional to the size of your role play.

Character depth doesn't need a wiki, well made characters can have basic info outlined in a character sheet but the majority of the character developement and personality should come from the STORY, not the ooc thread/area.

2.)I didn't mean my message in any hostile way. I support a seperate OOC board, that is all the small one thread role plays need.

[Iscin]

1.) I don't see what the issue with having the wiki available for large RP worlds or for specific backstory documents that can't be done in one post, while at the same time letting smaller roleplays simply use the tried and true 1 thread or 2 thread method. I'm not saying the wiki is a bad idea I'm simply saying that in my opinion its usefulness is directly proportional to the size of your role play.

Character depth doesn't need a wiki, well made characters can have basic info outlined in a character sheet but the majority of the character developement and personality should come from the STORY, not the ooc thread/area.

2.)I didn't mean my message in any hostile way. I support a seperate OOC board, that is all the small one thread role plays need.

I don't think I can explain the point any better, yes we CAN have separate threads and a ton of posts at the start of an RP thread but using the wiki would prevent such clutter making things easier for everyone involved. If you can't see that then I don't know what else to say.

[SliceOfDog]

Woah, woah, guys. Let's not start a flame war here. You both have valid points. Yes, the Wiki is a very good idea for bigger RPs, and I've been turned off a lot of RPs here by CPs at the start.
HOWEVER, Dusty has a good point; Some less formal RPs only require a paragraph or so on their character, and the world is, as he says, developed as they go along. For these RPs a seperate thread would, in my opinion, be absolutely acceptable, and in fact cause less clutter than 10 small Wiki articles.

[Iscin]

I'm closing this thread for a vote.

[Rick Canaan]

I have reopened this thread. Chiefly because I see a disagreement in tastes more than I see a flamewar or a need for a vote.

Dusty put forward some interesting suggestions.

Nevertheless, I agree with Iscin that the Wiki could be an interesting tool for folks to place their personal character information.

Use the Wiki if you like, or use the forums proper if you like. It is a matter of taste - like Dusty has said.

However, I will point out that once the forums get larger (and I promise you they will), everyone will probably need to start migrating to the Wiki for this information. Once you have a hundred or more roleplayers, trying to have everyone post their character info on the forums will make things rather cluttered and therefore rather difficult to find - for even people to find their own information threads. So this is more just Iscin thinking forward and trying to plan for Scififur.net's future - which is to be commended.

So in the end, give Iscin's idea a try, or don't. It is up to you. However, going ahead and getting used to the system suggested by Iscin could prove beneficial to everyone involved.

Thanks, everyone.

[pommie]

This is going to sound like a daft question: but how exactly do you create a new page on the wiki?

[Iscin]

This is going to sound like a daft question: but how exactly do you create a new page on the wiki?

See the precious thread: New Wiki is up! - SciFiFur.net Community Forums

Though in short just search for the page then click edit to make it.

[DigitalEcho]

Its a cool idea I just have no clue whatsoever on how to create a page, there is no 'create' button or anything and I don't know where it is or how to create a page on it

[Iscin]

Its a cool idea I just have no clue whatsoever on how to create a page, there is no 'create' button or anything and I don't know where it is or how to create a page on it

Basically just use the search to look for a page and if it isn't there you can clicked it and create it

[DigitalEcho]

Ah kk, thank you! Got it now !

[Kitsunami]

wow, long thread...

I would have to say i've only seen it once used for charecters before in any of my roleplay experiance, both in videogames, forums and the likes.

Its a nice idea for bigger roleplays though, the one place i saw it wasn't a very nice place to rp at...very, very elitist.