Creation of an "Other Games" Forum?

[ayrwind]

I agree, we should have a safer place where we can talk about other game systems without people jumping in to bash something. Being in a separate forum helps. I agree that there are many people here on ENWorld that play non-d20 games along with d20 games, and hopefully this thread can garner enough support to justify a new forum.

 

[Rasyr]

RPG.net is one big "other systems" forum, and it hasn't stopped the threadcrapping (which is actually far worse there).

Actually, rpg.net is not a big "other systems" forum, it is a big "all systems" forum. There is a slight difference.

I think General is the prefect place for discussion of any system. I can see the point of segregating reviews, but not segregating discussion.

So, then are you advocating the removal of the D&D and the D20 forums and having them all combined into General?

If not, then guess what? You already ARE segregating discussions based upon system (D&D versus d20 {Modern, OGL, Future, etc.}).

I also had not thought of the point that 2WS-Steve made, but it is a VERY good one. Since the ENnies are expanding to have "other games" categories, it only makes sense to have a forum to support the discussion of that as well.

 

[Crothian]

First the discussion and then the forum. Forums are not created here to get discussions going, they are only used when discussion grow to need a forum. I have no problem with non d20 threads, I happen to like them. But people need to create them and they need activity before any one of the mods will see a reason to create a forum. Just because the ENnies happen to include non d20 material is not enough.

 

[Turanil]

I am for it. This forum is totally overcrowded, so adding a forum for other game systems (I mean not for various d20, but for Gurps, Harp, etc.) would be fine IMO.

I vote yes.

 

[Rasyr]

I am for it. This forum is totally overcrowded, so adding a forum for other game systems (I mean not for various d20, but for Gurps, Harp, etc.) would be fine IMO.

I vote yes.

Another excellent point. The General forum IS crowded, which means that there are lots of posts here (a good thing, I might add), however, it also means that threads tend to disappear off the front page extremely quickly which makes them more difficult to find sometimes (a not so good thing).

And while I am sure that there are likely to be a good sized number of folks here who like other systems, in addition to d20. I am also sure that not everybody checks the forums every day. This means that these folks who might participate in thread about other systems might not because they don't see or find them because they slipped off the front page (which CAN happen very very quickly).

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

First the discussion and then the forum. Forums are not created here to get discussions going, they are only used when discussion grow to need a forum. I have no problem with non d20 threads, I happen to like them. But people need to create them and they need activity before any one of the mods will see a reason to create a forum. Just because the ENnies happen to include non d20 material is not enough.

How about adding a "Non D&D/D20 RPG" Icon for Threads then? (Or do we already have them?)
This would make it easier to identify these threads, and it will show if we really need an extra forum. (And maybe it also helps reducing the "not-d20-bashing" - only people who have the urgent need to bash a "not-d20"-game then will enter it then to bash it... )

 

[Henry]

This is more of a "Metaforum" discussion, so I'll bump it once, and move it there.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

The same discussion has come up in our staff forums, and the general consensus (not complete agreement, mind you) is that we'd love to have more "all game systems" traffic in the General RPG Forum. If there COMES a sufficient amount of traffic to warrant a forum of its own, then that's a different issue.

As to the issue of "bashing", that's an issue that is handled easily enough by reporting a basher to us mods; The 'report a post' feature does work now (though you need to post a link in your report to the thread; that does not function yet - until the server upgrade, I presume), but system-bashing does not have a place here. Mind you, someone saying, "why not use X system to accomplish a task instead?" or "there are some advantages to using system X over system Y" is not bashing; "WHY WOULD YOU PLAY THAT LOAD OF CRAP" is bashing.

How about adding a "Non D&D/D20 RPG" Icon for Threads then?

Now that's certainly logical; I need to check and see if it hasn't already been done! At the least, it would allow people interested in other topics to be able to sort by them. If the traffic gets to the point where sorting gets too long, then that's when we need to start talking forum changes.

 

[BiggusGeekus]

I've said it before, I'll say it again:

I would prefer that non-d20/D&D reviews were labeled as such in the reviews section. My eyes won't burn out if I read a White Wolf review, but after having dumped $200 in World of Darkness products I can safely say that I'm more interested in d20 and I'd rather not have to weed through to find what I'm looking for.

What exactly distinguishes us from RPG.net if we open ENWorld up to other games? A stronger swear filter? Big f***ing deal.

I like ENWorld, but a move to a generic site means that we loose distinctiveness and we try to do what gamingreport.com, rpg.net, and the WotC forums are already doing a pretty good job of doing.

 

[Henry]

I took a look at the Icon topic list, and came to the conclusion that I don't pay Michael Morris NEARLY enough attention. There is a HUGE list of icons there for topics that we don't take enough advantage of. However, no "non-d20" style icon - I suppose it never came up before.

I'll make the suggestion, assuming Russ isn't looking at this already.

 

[DaveMage]

I've said it before, I'll say it again:

I would prefer that non-d20/D&D reviews were labeled as such in the reviews section. My eyes won't burn out if I read a White Wolf review, but after having dumped $200 in World of Darkness products I can safely say that I'm more interested in d20 and I'd rather not have to weed through to find what I'm looking for.

What exactly distinguishes us from RPG.net if we open ENWorld up to other games? A stronger swear filter? Big f***ing deal.

I like ENWorld, but a move to a generic site means that we loose distinctiveness and we try to do what gamingreport.com, rpg.net, and the WotC forums are already doing a pretty good job of doing.

Amen.