I thought of creating a topic where you guys can let us know what kind of documentations you wish to see coming to RPG-D. We already have quite a selection of documentations. But as we want to have a revamp, we might also consider re-doing the documentations section and be able to see if we can add even more.

So we would like to know some specific topics and areas you would like to see more documentations about/in? For instance would you wish to see the admin cp area with more documentations? Or more references? Specific topics you want to see documentations about? Let us know and post it here.

I'd like to see a few more admin conduct guides. The obvious absolute do-nots of running an RPG.

Things like, how to decline an application or request edits without sounding like someone shoved a pole somewhere painful, or humiliating the player. Some people have absolutely no clue, and no consideration for the player's feelings...

Some smaller guides to becoming better roleplayers for members would be good as well... bite size chunks focusing on certain aspects of play with possible challenges for players to try out themselves. There's a few guides up here, but they're pretty big and not always going to be read through.

If there's not one already - a guide to setting forum permissions would probably be welcomed by many as well. How to create a waiting to be sorted class, to minimise spamming... even a documentation on how to minimise spam might help some.

Effective advertising techniques? Not where - but how? How to write an advert so it appeals? Why things like changing text colour are not always a good idea?

Humm. That's all off the top of my head.

Admin Docs:

` Helping write advertisements would be great. Good idea, Mousie. (happy)

` Also, maybe some skeletons for how to set up a board, with the forums you need, etc. There are lots of sites around with a forum for rules, that only has a single topic ("Rules") in it, then another forum just for a single topic called "Plot." Very annoying and a waste of space. So maybe some sort of guide on that; different genres and creators could tweak it to fit their own boards.

For Member Docs... A list of Harry Potter characters, their spouses and professions after DH using the info JKR reveals in her interviews.

That's all that's coming to me ATM. Might be edited at a later date. ^^ I'm glad you all are doing this for us. :]

I often worry whether I sound like that! (tongue)

I'd really appreciate some more admin conduct guides.

Um...

A documentation on purple prose and why it is bad and needs to die would be wonderful. Sort of where the line between "descriptive" and "oh my eyes!" is.

That's all I can think at the moment. I'll add to this.

We have that one already: Purple Prose: What it is and How to avoid it

Ahaha. I could write for years about that. XD

I'd really like a documentation on how to get the information box things at the top, like on this site where it has Main News, RPG-D Info, and Useful Links.

I don't know what it's called. XD

How about one for writing plots? A lot of people seem to be asking for plotwriters recently.

I'd like to see more codes... I see so many cool boards with cool announcement/news boxes at top (not sidebars, I know that code now), and I just can't find a code for it anywhere. Such a thing would be nice, now we already have a documentation-thread for the sidebar :)

and perhaps some documentation for member legends too, that would be cool :)

- maybe also something for how to keep your board active and your members interested, how to keep the plot going so people don't get bored with it...

Hum. I may write up one for the Welcome box if you likes.

Plot writing is another good one, and I love the basic forums used for most genres... some layouts cause one to stare and ask: Why?

A lot of people seem to be asking how to change the <span> tags, so a topic on member groups, how to create them and style them might be very useful especially for new admins.

Perhaps even a general guide to running RPGs? I can't think if there is one. Something that goes along the lines of: RPs take work and dedication to set up! Ensure you have that.

Hmmm.

Idiots guide to skinning? Different guides for different board platforms. There seem to be a lot of individual documentation for aspects of skinning but not the whole shebang.

I have one in the pending Docs forum that I could probably change to include all useful span tags. Using Span Properties in Member Groups to Edit Usernames! (happy)

Idiot's Guide to Skinning would be cool; I'm sure lots of people want to learn to skin their own boards, myself included. But is this a wish-list in general (for anyone to do), or for the staff? I know a few people on RPG-D (Mousie <3) can make amazing skins on their own, but IDK about the staff.

For some reason, I thought you said "Moral Codes" and I was a little weirded out, but hey, it sounds good to me.

And then I realized what you actually said, and I agree with that, too. It would be sweet to not have to run around the internet to find a good affiliate box.

I have a "IF Skinning" documentation on my things to do list. I haven't started it yet, but I plan on it being pretty in-depth. Right now I'm just kinda making a little mental list in my head of all the things that will need to be in it before I get to work on it. It'll probably be done in about a month, give or take.

I may also do a ZB one too, once I feel I'm qualified to do it. XD

That's a good idea. Breaking it up into bite-sized chunks can make it easier to digest. Sections I'd like to see would be:

• Godmoding
• Metagaming

I'm sure I can add to the list when it occurs, but those are two the big issues so far. I know a lot of people know about godmoding, but not so much metagaming and other IC != OOC issues.

Well coding documentations would be hard. We can´t simply use codes from IFSZ or other resource forums and slam them into documentations here on RPG-D. As then it would be ripping. The only thing we can get more codes to RPG-D is if some members here do write their own codes and are willing to submit them. We have the sidebar code because Roswenth wrote it out herself, so that's why we were able to have that code on RPG-D. So for instance a documentation about a header bar like here on RPG-D wouldn't be possible, because that code is from IFSZ, unless someone has written one up him/herself and would like to post it here.

I might be stupid but what is Metagaming? XD (should really rp again me thinks)

Good suggestions all, was suprised to see two pages. Keep suggesting, and if a member sees a topic they are interested to write a documentation about, feel free to do it ^^.

I gave it a quick mention in a documentation I just submitted, a dictionary of RP terms:

But something much more extensive would be better.

Would I be laughed at for a documentation on how to use The GIMP?

Is there anything in particular you want to know about The GIMP? Although i now use Photoshop, I used GIMP all the time before then, and still know a trick or two, or at least places to go.

I just want to know howto use it. I can blend layers and blur stuff but that's about it. From the stuff I've found on here, they jump right into how to make stuff using terms I have nop clue what they mean. I just want a simply doc that tells me what the imaging terms mean and hopw they accosiate with the GIMP.

"Comprehensive Guide to Formatting the Hogwarts Roleplaying Category."

Basically, what rooms you NEED, what rooms you can have, what floors they're on, etc. Grounds might also be included in this.

I find, Smartguy, that it's very easy going to the HP Lexicon and looking up Hogwarts to find that information because they have all the rooms, the floors they are on and also descriptions you can read so you know what the rooms look like. It's what I did my site from. It was pretty easy.

I suppose if you really wanted I could write a documentation containing which rooms I use (showing whether they are forums or sub-forums) and giving their descriptions so you could just copy and paste them. Shrug.

I'm not sure if anyone already has this or what not, but forum software. I would love to see a documentation on the many types of forum softwares, both free, and the more advanced ones like phbb & smf, and the advantages and disadvantages of all- as well as features. I know this would help me out greatly with trying new things. ^^;

Just a thought <3

the gimp? i have it and love it, a few tutorials with tips and tricks can never go amiss. :)

I think I can put that together in the next week.

That would be awesome Roswenth. ^^; I can't wait for it. :D

I would really like to see a documentation on action and fight scenes. I really do ge stuck when it comes to fighting.

A documentation on how to break up categories and forums and sub-forums for a non-RP forum would be ever soooo helpful!

I think someone might have already said it, but I'm not sure.

A documentation on how to set up a board would be useful. If I really thought about it, I could do it, but it would take a ton of work and would probably be better from someone else who's more experienced.

Just the basics, but in detail if that makes sense. What boards you should be sure to include, how to set up rules and applications, things like that. This would be for an RPG board, preferably teen fiction type?

I realize no one else has posted in this for a while, but...

I don't know if there is one already, but a doc on making a good advertisement?

I just made one on filling out applications. :/

I don't want to create a useless Document... but, would anyone be interested in a document on customizing IPB?

I do a lot of work redoing a ton of the HTML templates, adding HTML to titles (it's a pretty awesome hack) and generally reworking a lot of a forum.

Would anyone be interested in learning how to navigate the HTML templates and further customize a board (not just through skins)?

I'd like to see one on making canons lists. I'm terrible x3, I can never tell what is too much or too little to give the member.

I'd be interested in this.

This too!! :lol:

I'd like to see one on Writing Plots.... I may make one... eh.. *goes to research*

One on how to run activity checks would be loverly. Someone want to make?

I'd love to see something about how to help beginnier role-players improve without sounding elitist and mean.

I was actually thinking of putting together a documentation on that. ^_^

Yeah I would love to see one on how to make a pre-made character list and one for how to make good sub-plots. What's too much? When should they be used? etc.

Yeah, I would love to see one on canons too, that is, unless I make one myself. Haha. If I have time in the future, I'll probably put a canons, advertising, and activity check documentations together. ^_^