Guidelines regarding thread names and tags

[vicky_molokh]

Greetings, all!

Here are some guidelines/recommendations regarding thread names and use of tags.

Thread Names
Please give your threads meaningful names - avoid stuff like 'Generic questions' and 'Does somebody know the answer', and above all, 'Stupid question' as thread names. Name threads based on their content. If it's about some rule or trait or character, mention it in the topic. You don't have to be serious - if you want a pun or a catchy phrase for a thread title, that's okay, as long as it is meaningful enough to be identified with the thread content (at least after the reader sees the content for the first time)
Traditionally, bracket-enclosed shortened tags in thread names - such as [MA] and [DF] - are used to identify to what sort of discussions the thread belongs. When using them, please separate them with spaces from other words - it makes web searches easier. Often they are similar to proper tags (below).
Whatever you do, do not put [Kromm] into a thread name!

Thread Tags
Try to keep your tags consistent with topics, to ease the tag searches in the future.
Here goes the unofficial-but-generally-useful tag list (not exhaustive):

• If it concerns issues that are mostly relevant in the context of a single book, use the book's official name, without GURPS. E.g. 'spaceships', 'mass combat', 'fantasy' etc.
• If it concerns a specific rule, item or trait, use a tag that matches the short-but-official rule name (if any), and a book tag if the rule is native to some specific book. E.g. 'martial arts, riposte'; 'fantasy, chakram'.
• Use the 'faq' tag only on threads that are about common/frequent questions. Preferably, only tag so the ones which contain actual answers from official sources.
• Use 'Kromm explanation' only where Kromm actually explains something. Again, do not tag until He answers.
• For conversions from other systems/settings, use 'conversion'.
• If your topic concerns something that is called by a short word, try to put the word into the tag field if you have the free slot(s).
• 'Optional rules' should be used specifically for discussing rules marked Optional in the RAW (not to be confused with house rules tag below).
• For house rule discussions, use 'house rules' (plural), as it seems to be in the majority already, and there's no point in using two tags simultaneously if they only differ by one letter.
• 'Custom setting' (singular, because usually there's only one per thread) for designing settings of your own.
• Custom Infinite Worlds worlds seem to be common. I propose tagging all of them with 'infinite worlds' and the 'custom setting' tag.
• Tag racial, occupational, and other templates as both 'templates' and 'racial templates'/'occupational templates'/etc. to allow both generic and specific searches. Threads about lenses should probably have a 'templates' tag too just in case.
• Use 'monsters' specifically for discussion of monsters - dangerous animals, usually not sapient etc.
• Use 'animals' for discussion of animals - more realistic and less antagonistic than monsters (goes together with 'bestiary' well).
• Either 'ideas to share' or 'random thought table' for non-organized but neat ideas.
• 'Adventure seeds' for ideas on building adventures.
• Add 'brainstorm' if the intent is an active exchange of many vaguely related ideas, as opposed to attempting to perfect a single raw idea.
• 'Combat' for discussions of combat-centered rules, traits or strategies.
• 'Resource' for threads recommending gaming resources - software etc.
• 'Raw' for strictly RAW-compliant discussions. There should also be designated as such in the OP (but not necessarily in thread name).
• 'Chargen' and 'character generation' or 'character creation' for issues relating strictly to this stage of GURPS.
• 'WWII' for GURPS World War II and related topics.
• (Proposed) 'Nowing' is a tag used to denote that 'just wing it' answers are a big no-no. Please do not troll these posters by such answers.

So, what have I missed?

[Bruno]

Originally Posted by Molokh

So, what have I missed?

I would say monster/animal writeups are (or can be) separated from templates. Obviously, many people like writing them up as templates, but the abbreviated statblock route is good as well.

Do we want a separate tag for vehicle/spaceship writeups vs discussion on the specific book?

How about a general genre tag, for threads or posts that are tied to a specific genre (we've had enough Dungeon Fantasy related threads that for a while people kept suggesting a sub-sub forum just for GURPS DF, as an example. Many of them are not linked to one of the specific books, so a book tag wouldn't exactly fit)

[vicky_molokh]

Yeah, the fact that DF and SS are not only books, but also topics of their own (i.e. the genre and the class of 'items') seems to cause a bit of confusion. Still, I don't see DF being discussed separately from, well, DF.

I'm not sure how bad the SS situation is.

[Woodman]

Dont try to put everything in one tag, a combination of two or three is more usefull for filtering, like the Spaships writeups, tag them with "Spaceships" and "Writeup".
BTW are these tags case sensitive?

[vicky_molokh]

Originally Posted by Woodman

BTW are these tags case sensitive?

No idea, but it's generally good idea to write in lowercase unless you absolutely must capitalize.

[RedMattis]

Originally Posted by Molokh

No idea, but it's generally good idea to write in lowercase unless you absolutely must capitalize.

The software automatically de-capitalizes them, so it doesn't really matter.

Edit:
A few used, and thus recommended Tags for relevant topics at the moment would be:

Character Creation, Chargen(?), Creature, House Rules, Powers.


Edit 2:
I don't think tags with a small area is a problem, rather I believe the thing to be careful about is using the wrong big tag, or having several big tags covering the same area. (Creatures, Monsters, Bestiary, Foes, et cetera)

As long as people check the existing big tags before tagging their posts I don't think there should be to much of a problem.

[Lord Carnifex]

I might suggest some more abstract tags as well:

rules: contains discussion of actual rules as written, their interpretation and explanation.

how-to: contains discussion of how to stat up a character trait idea as a power, talent, wildcard skill or so on.

concept: contains discussion referring to cinematic vs. realistic play, reality-checking, game balance and so on.

weapon: stating up a weapon from real life, cinema, and so on. This seems to come up relatively often. Discussion of changes to written stats might merit this tag as well.

[RedMattis]

I'll try to list a few Big Tag ideas (Stealing ideas mercilessly of course).

- - -
Bestiary Monsters, Animals et cetera´
Cannon Fodder Stuff to kill. Frequently overlaps with Bestiary for quite obvious reasons...
Characters
Combat for discussions of combat-centered rules, traits or strategies
Concept: contains discussion referring to cinematic vs. realistic play, reality-checking, game balance and so on
House Rules
How-to contains discussion of how to stat up a character trait idea as a power, talent, wildcard skill and so on
Powers Discussion and write-ups on Powers. Also: discussion of GURPS Powers
Racial Templates for when you want to be specific, also tag with "Templates"
RAW for strictly RAW-compliant discussions. There should also be designated as such in the OP
Resource for threads recommending gaming resources - software etc
Rules contains discussion of actual rules as written, their interpretation and explanation
Supernatural For Fantasy things. (Fantasy is the name of a book after all...)
Supporting Cast
Templates Generic Templates thread-Tag
Villains
Weapons stating up a weapon from real life, cinema, and so on.

[RedMattis]

Does anyone have a good idea as for what to call powers*? (to avoid mixing it up with GURPS Powers)

*as in those amazing abilities like shooting lasers out of your eyes or spitting acid.

[vicky_molokh]

Originally Posted by RedMattis

Does anyone have a good idea as for what to call powers? (to avoid mixing it up with GURPS Powers)

Well, if someone is really into designing powers, she pretty much has to buy Powers for all the cool crunch. So no big deal IMO.