TheDorkProject on 9/3/2005 at 05:24
This may be a dumb question for one of a couple reasons...
but... is anyone working on combining some of the official maps in T:DS to get rid of the load points?
TheDorkProject on 9/3/2005 at 05:38
No need to be a smartass :P
What exactly would I have typed in to search and get that thread?
Nothing straight forward or obvious, that's for sure.
A search for "combining" returns this thread, and this thread only.
Gingerbread Man on 9/3/2005 at 06:02
No, I know. Nor do search terms like "combining levels", "merging", "merged", "combining" etc
You would have had to guess at the word "recombining" which, although it's a real word, is totally bizarre to use in this context. It's not as if the levels were built whole and then split.
Still, it did only take going back a couple of pages and scanning thread titles.
But I sympathise. This forum is already becoming a bit of a mess, and unless we all make a determined attempt to keep things clean it'll be utterly useless to anyone as a reference. I realise that things are new, shiny, and everyone was (probably still is) kind of excited -- but this forum has to run like the regular Thief editing forum, or we're all up the creek.
SubJeff on 9/3/2005 at 08:09
Quote:
It's not as if the levels were built whole and then split.
Really? I thought it was. null said something in the quote scroll, no?
Gingerbread Man on 9/3/2005 at 09:15
Well, either way, it's a word that you wouldn't think of to search with, is my point.
scumble on 9/3/2005 at 09:16
Quote Posted by Gingerbread Man
it'll be utterly useless to anyone as a reference.
The wiki would probably make up for the ad-hoc nature of the forums when it's sufficiently populated.
Eshaktaar on 9/3/2005 at 09:33
What should be avoided are additional questions within already existing threads, if they don't have anything to do with the initial topic. Searching for something I remember reading somewhere and then ending up with a dozen of cluttered "I have a question, too" threads is a nightmare.
scumble on 9/3/2005 at 09:46
I think we can get round that by thread splitting, no? As long as they are caught quickly.
mol on 9/3/2005 at 11:32
Quote Posted by Gingerbread Man
But I sympathise. This forum is already becoming a bit of a mess, and unless we all make a determined attempt to keep things clean it'll be utterly useless to anyone as a reference. I realise that things are new, shiny, and everyone was (probably still is) kind of excited -- but this forum has to run like the regular Thief editing forum, or we're all up the creek.
Agreed, and to that end, I've been thinking about if it made sense to set up one sticky
'Important' thread for newbie-questions (I count myself in that lot), a sort of a meta-thread where people could ask questions like "where do I find..." etc. It would help in maintaining the rest of the board uncluttered, and would be simple for anyone to browse through for FAQ type questions.
It might also be worthwhile to set up a sticky 'Forum Rules and Guidelines' or 'Read This First' message which would describe how to 'behave', where to look for things, etc.
Thing is, people new to the level editing don't necessarily even know what to ask precisely. Unless we want to frighten away potential new FM authors, I think we need to tolerate a certain level of repeat questions. Since we're going to have those anyway, it might make sense to give them a thread of their own, and sticky it.
Also, much of the information is really spread out there; available, but not easy or obvious to find. That's also bound to generate meta questions.
I do of course fully agree that people should search and read the forums first. But there are also things like language considerations -- not everyone speaks English as their first language (I don't, for one). Add to that the special technical terms involved with the editing, and that may also make searching a step more difficult. Sometimes people need help even with searching stuff.
