Ron and I discussed the 'sub-moderator' position some more this morning, and we decided we needed a clear vision of what each forum is actually there for. I'm going to start, and anyone can feel free to make comments (and, of course, Ron can feel free to correct me.)

Site Discussion: This was originally just to discussion problems with or questions about the Forge, as well as put announcements about changes. It's evolved into a forum where we can discuss what the Forge actually is a community, as well.

Indie Game Design: This forum is for:
- Posting complete or near-complete designs for review
- Game design questions ("How do you figure out probabilities on dice pools?")

This forum is not for:
- Posting ideas or outlines for comment. ("I want to design a game like Buck Rogers, but with monkeys! What do you think?")

GNS Model Discussion: This one's clearest. If it's about GNS, it goes here.

RPG Theory: This forum is for discussing role-playing as a science. It's not only about innovations and alternate models, but discussing role-playing as a social science.

Actual Play: This forum is for posting discussions about actual play. It's not only recounts of games, and lessons learned from them, but discussions about factors that influence real play. (See the 'environment' discussion there.)

Connections: This is a bulletin board. Post what you need or what you have to offer. This is actually the most 'indie' of the forums, in that it's a network of non-commercial entities interfacing with each other.

Hardcore Roleplaying: This is where Ron and I play Porno Universalis online. Man, our weatherman (Dick Hurricane) and his weathergirls (Stormy, Monsoon, and La Nina) game titled 'Double Doppler' rocked hard. Wait... do you guys have access to that forum?

Heh, well Ron's already an experienced Uni-porn player so no doubt that game's going well ;-)

Has any thought been given to adding a new forum split off from Indie Design. One for complete games ready for playtesting and one for ideas still under development. There's been some effort to get the germinating ideas moved down to RPG Theory, but those aren't really the threads I think of when I think "RPG Theory".

There has been a wonderful proliferation of new game ideas in Indie Design, but I've long lost track of which are real games and which are vaporware.

BTW: The internet nazis at my place of employment have begun ramping up their monitoring of web useage (I now have to have a special log in just to leave the intranet...bastards), so my presence on the Forge during the day will likely be greatly curtailed.

BTW #2: Warlords IV comes out today, and I'm still not done conquering the world in Civ III Play the World (Although I did cure cancer in 1844 and build the first nuclear missile submarine in 1868) nor in Medieval Total War...so my presence on th Forge during the evenings for the near future may be somewhat sparse as well :-)