Hello,

As I've stated recently, two of the forums are about to undergo some structural and procedural changes. However, one thing is needed, for both of them, and I don't have the time to do it. I'd like to ask your help. It will be a dirty and aggravating job.

For both the GNS and RPG Theory forums, I'd like to see a list of topics be compiled that will each serve as headings for a list of internal links.

No, I don't want you to suggest topics here in this thread. I knew you were just about to do that, so don't. What I want is for you to hunt threads which, according to you, should be read in reference to a specific topic that you think is important.

Example: "What is railroading, actually" - hunt down any threads which you think really nailed the issue, including its introduction, various agony about it, its resolution, or whatever.

It will help you, me, and the future Forge if you keep the topics informal, rather than specific Forge jargon. Make them things that people will recognize and be interested in looking at. "Typhoid Mary vs. Master Illusionist" or some shit like that won't do.

Points that will save you grief:

1. Don't worry about crossover between the forums. If you decide a thread in one should be included in an archive for the other, don't sweat it, just include the link. In other words, an archive topic for RPG Theory may well include threads from GNS, and vice versa. Or from other forums too.

2. Completeness is not the priority. I know whom I'm speaking to, so I'll repeat: completeness is not the priority. The priority is utility. In many cases, you might decide that all those 100 threads for a given topic are just grief and despair given voice, and that the reader is all good with just two of the later ones. In fact, I hope that's what you'd do.

3. You are not alone. Others are doing this too. Do not consider it necessary to spend your life hunting threads for every imaginable topic. Even if you do a little hunting and thread-finding for one or two topics, that will help immeasurably.

I would also greatly appreciate it if you were to send me your results by email, not PMs, in exactly this form:

Topic name
Thread title and URL
Thread title and URL etc

What will happen after I've received enough for a good start? (Because, you see, if people keep doing this, I can keep updating the sticky-post which contains them.)

Well, first things first: the RPG Theory forum will close. No more posts. All theory/idea points should be folded into topics that are appropriate for Indie Design, Publishing, and Actual Play. In other words, if you are musing about how X might be related to Y, then try to think about what play-experiences prompt that interest of yours in the first place, and post about them in Actual Play - including your more general concern about X and Y.

Second thing second, the GNS forum will be altered radically. It sort of depends on the software to determine how it will turn out, but no matter what, there will be a forum called "The Big Model." It will serve as (1) a place to ask me about anything that you'd like about what I've written or what I think, and (b) a jumping-off point to blogland and other places if you want to talk about this sort of wacky-shit further. Whether this is the same old forum with a distinct "OK, new way starts here," or a new forum with the old one just remaining as an archive like RPG Theory, or something halfway between, I don't know yet.

Opinions and reactions to this "new way new look" thing are not invited. This is what's going to happen. I expect that many of you are going to have to adjust to a play-centered perspective regarding ideas about role-playing, and I welcome that change. What matters to me now, much more, is whether you will help me get those topics and links compiled. Again, send them to me (one at a time, or a bunch much later, whichever) at sorcerer@sorcerer-rpg.com.

Best,
Ron