It has come to my attention, ladies and gentlemen, *coughs into hand* that some of the questions asked in the Help forum are getting remarkably obscure.

In some cases the technicalities being raised are far in excess of Arda's concerns for the keeping of our rules... I can empathise that a lot of the questions being raised are from people who do not want to break or bend the rules.
We do encourage some liberality and freedom within the rules for an element of interpretation to be welcome. Above all, common-sense is the greatest guide. If what you intend is not going to provide you with an unfair advantage, there is very little chance it is going to lead to a problem.

From the perspective of a moderator, the questions being asked are repeating themselves more often... This is the worst burden. To be reduced the the role of parrot, repeating incessantly the diverse answers to endlessly repeated questions.

Here is my advice.
Browsable Topic Titles will result in the Help Forum being a genuinely quick-reference encycolpeadia!

Utilising the help forum,
Please post your inquiries after making a concerted effort to read the FAQ and please take the time to browse the existing questions, especially the ones locked off by a moderator. These questions have been given a genuine final word.

Failing that: please make the topic title and topic description concisely relevant to the question, so someone glossing through the catalogue of old questions can see the headline and investigate.

e.g.
Animal Questions.

the above topic title is too general. This could refer to any infinite number of things, so someone referring to the help forum later would have no idea as to what the content within the topic might be.

I suggest:
Topic Title: Animal Breeding. Time-delay & sale?
Subtitle: breeding as a means of generating gold


another example:
Spell Question.


what spell? You see? We could be actively creating a comprehensive encyclopedia if we but changed our method...

Topic Title: Re: Demi Spell
Subtitle: useable more than once in a melee?


In the past the help-forum topics, in spite of their cute or humourous titles have only been relevant to the person who posted it, and of no use to anyone afterwards.
There we have it, let us begin to make the help forum helpful.

I like this ^^ It would really make it easier for people to look through old topics in order to find answers to questions already asked that they need to know :) Any help forum question I make from now on shall use this format :D

Agreed! This is a great format to use, and it definitely will cut down on repetition. However, I'm curious about what you do if you have multiple questions? Say I wanted a help forum regarding how the general spell book functions, what colour a quill is and how much ink is included in the ink purchase. Those are all different questions; do I create a new topic for each, or would I simplify it to, "General Spell Book, Ink, Quill", or... ? Heh, I know that could probably fit on the line, but I know some people have asked a number of questions in their topics before. Otherwise, I think this is awesome. ^_^

Most excellent, Curin. This should help all parties involved when it comes to asking and answering questions in the Help forum B)

O_O These are all the kind of obscure question we are trying to eliminate. Do I really have to come up with an answer to what color a quill is? :/

No no, of course not! Heheh, was just an example really. I can't think of any questions offhand. But... you know what I mean. ::Waves hand:: Is Cleave redundant if you have Draconic Might mixed with a question regarding Imperial Archangels crashing through the cieling of a home. Two separate topics?

Personally, I'd rather see a few questions in one topic and not 5 topics for a series of questions. Sounds more than superfluous. You can figure out an appropriate title by yourself.

Alright, cool. B)

I knows it is a very large undertaking, but perhaps the old topics could be categorized? I mean, someone could go through the pages, and make a thread concerning all past topics. You could break them down for familiars, weapon questions, PrC's, spells, etc.

They wouldn't have to be terribly specific, just some major topics. It might take a while, but it would be good because most people don't go back through the old topics and ask new questions constantly because they are all just packed together on 112 pages.

Anyway, I might need to send this to the suggestions thread. But, I like all these new systems. This is two updates in one day! I'm all excited! Arda's gettin' all organized and such.

Admins, I'm loving the enthusiasim in keeping things efficent. I'm loving what is happening in Arda, and I can see the ideas blooming for a lasting future with your work. Thusly, I send out my love in appreciation for all that you're doing.

Keep it up.

- :heart: JupJup

Good show Curin! I can't beleive nobody thought of this earlier however... It seems to simple.

Subtle, Curin. Veeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeery subtle. <_<

oor surry Spidey ^_^; I didn't mean anything by it...
twas just the example I had in my mind :yes:
no offence intended :pet: