So, I have a family member that is trying to get people online to contribute to this "player created" setting for like a d&d or pathfinder game.  I am trying to explain to her how it's not going to work NOW before she gets too into it.  I don't want her to be too upset when she is the only one there.  You guys here know this stuff, I've lurked here forever, I know!  Could someone take a glance at the site and tell me if I'm nuts.  It's http://phoenixfirerpg.webs.com - now I realize it looks funny for me to include the link, but I figure if you guys say its ok, then I'll chill out a bit.  This thing is just making me wanna gouge my eyes out, and she's gonna be crushed if she keeps it up.  Thanks in advance for giving me the time to rant and for your opinion.

This probably belongs in Connections or something. Anyway, I don't see anything wrong with her site or her goals. If she wants participation, she needs to reach out to other communities.

Hi everyone,
Sorry that I didn't get to make my introductions- LOL.  By the way, I am with my sib, so I don't know who you are JRSwift- email me if I know you and you are worried, and I will explain.

Anyway, I am working on a player created setting.  It just went up a few days ago and I just wanted to say hi!  I'm new here as a poster, but as I'm sure people here understand, we all have to start somewhere- with an idea and imagination!  I mean fun just doesn't materialize out of thin air, and I want to have a hand in making it!  Luke, thanks for the nod, I will take your psychic advice and head over to connections in a bit to tell people about it!

The idea is not automatically doomed to fail.  These sorts of internet communal projects are notoriously hard to get going and keep going, but the board we're posting on is a pretty good counter-argument to the assertion that "RPG web sites that demand individual input can't work."

However: PhoenixFire is going to need several potent ingredients to even have a chance of working.

1) Tireless promotion.  The more enthusiastic you are, the more likely you are to spread that enthusiasm.  This is the secret for what success people like Jose Garcia achieved.  (If you know the Jose saga -- remember, he DID move a lot of books first.) 

2) A hook.  Why use PhoenixFire and not anything else?  What's the one-sentence hook?  And don't try "It's D&D with better rules" 'cause that field is overgrazed already.  REIGN's hook is "Fantasy, only YOU'RE the boss."  Dirty World's hook is "Film Noir where social manipulation is EXACTLY like face-punching."  What's yours?

-G.