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Board Game Design Wikibook

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Anonymous

This site continually amazes in all that its done, and I have a suggestion that I believe can make it even better then it already is (no, that’s not impossible - yet ;) ).

One problem that I've seen, especially in Game Production Forum that I most usually frequent, is that the when someone gives a useful piece of information, it disappears (i.e., with time it sinks down into topic oblivion - the next page). Of course it can be searched for, but as is obvious by the many repeating questions, many people do not use this. In any case, that gem of a good idea may be hidden in a five page long thread, and search would not help then.

In order to keep the good information easy to find, I would suggest using a wiki (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wiki), or preferably, a wikibook, which automatically maintains a table of contents (http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Wikibooks:Overview_FAQ).

Whenever someone is looking for information on something, they simply look through the table of contents, go to the applicable section, and that’s it - they found what they are looking for.
If someone has an idea of something to add, they first look to see if a topic already exists, if not they add a new topic, and their contribution. People can also edit, refine and add to what other people have written.

Good information is never lost, and you’re secure from vandals through the restore history feature. Over time a wikibook, (or wiki) on board game design would be become a very valuable resource to anyone looking to design their own board games, and it would be much easier to maintain and find information when needed. The only disadvantage I can see is that you'd either have to set up a wikibook on this site (lots of work), or use an outside site, specifically http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Main_Page for the wikibook.

Zzzzz
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Joined: 06/20/2008
Board Game Design Wikibook

A wiki is currently being looked into and setup.

Stay tuned for that feature once the admin has a chance to get it up, stable and secure.

Anonymous
Board Game Design Wikibook

One problem with a traditional wiki for this sort of purpose is that it is too decentralized. The only way to find information is to search, and information is often repeated in topic with slightly different names, or lost in obscurity.

One way of getting around that it to have main page which contains a table of contents or directory of all the pages that exist. The directory would be based on the subject of each page, not on the links to or from it.

For example:

Production
- Resources for buying
-- Blank cards
-- Blank Boards
-- Cutters
- Making
--Cards
--- Using Protectors
--- Using Perforated sheets
--Boards
- Art
-- Graphics Programs for Art
-- Hiring Artists
-- Art Techniques
Design
- Part Games
- Abstract Strategy
- Multiplayer
-- Diplomacy Based
-Play testing

This way, when someone is looking for information, it is much easier to find exactly what they are looking for, and if they have information, they know exactly where to put it.

FastLearner
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Joined: 12/31/1969
Board Game Design Wikibook

Aye, we're working on the getting the wiki going. Stay tuned, we're cranking on it as fast as possible.

-- Matthew

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