Building a Unified Monster thread

[ConnorSB]

Hi!

I'm Connor SB, and I am one of the many people who post NPC stats in this forum.

Iron Sheep, another monster afficiando (sp), figured out how to build a table of contents for his monster thread, sorted by CR and type of monster (generic vs. unique monsters, good vs. evil monsters, etc). Basically, the upgraded boards let you make a link to a single specific post from any thread (and it won't just scroll the thread down, it will actually load just that post).

Here's an example of such a link:

Giant Slime Rat (CR 2)

and here is how it is coded: (replacing {'s with the appropriate ['s)

{URL=http://www.enworld.org/forums/showpost.php?p=1298982&postcount=17} Giant Slime Rat{/URL} (CR 2)


It was suggested somewhere in either Blackdirge's, Iron Sheep's, or my own thread, but the idea I (we?) have is to build a sort of unified table of contents for the Rogues Gallery, sorted by CR and type, and stickied to the top of the page.

The current idea for implimentation is to have a communual user account, "MonsterHerder" or somesuch, which actually controls the four or five posts that contain the Table, but whose password is known only by those who volunteer to sort/edit/update the table.

People would post to the sticky thread the additions they wanted (after updating thier own threads), and the MonsterHerder would update the master list.

When neccessary, the MonsterHerder would get a mod to do some "housecleaning," clearing the thread of people's suggested updates/comments/etc.

Comments? Questions? Volunteers?

 

[Iron Sheep]

Comments? Questions? Volunteers?

I think something like this would be very nice to see, and it probably wouldn't take too long to add each NPC to the list. Since this is a low-volume board, it updates could probably be done roughly weekly, and if there's a list of threads that are being catalogued, it shouldn't be too hard to keep track of what's been added during that week. The hardest thing would be the initial set-up to list what we already have on the boards.

Another option would be to have a thread like they have in the Playing the Game forum: The Divine Records of Exalted Deeds and Vile Darkness where individual GMs can post collected links to all their play by post threads. With this form of thread, each person with a monster/NPC thread could have a post where they could keep an up to date menu.

I'd prefer a unified index sorted by in-game role and CR, though, since that'd be more useful to readers with a specific need.

I also think that it should be clear that this thread probably shouldn't link to threads of PCs from play by post games.

One more idea to throw out there: perhaps there could be a separate sticky thread where people could make requests for custom monsters. I know that both Blackdirge and ConnorSB do requests, and there have been a few other separate threads (Morrus' being the most notable) asking for suggestions or monster designs.

Finally, this thread maybe should be in the Meta forum?

Corran

 

[TroyXavier]

Sounds like a great idea. The monster threads are my favorite in the rogues gallery.

 

[Jolly Giant]

Love the idea, Connor! ...sure hope someone's willing to the job!