RPG Geek coming soon! • Page 5 • Collecting General

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RPG Geek coming soon!
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JohnGaunt
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Posted: Sun Aug 02, 2009 4:15 pm

faro wrote:Right little hive of positivity about the hobby in general we are tonight...

We're all little f*cking rays of sunshine. You should know that by now.

It's just that RPG Geek does not appear to have been ready for launch. If the site is just a collection of generic information and errors . . . why bother with it? Other, better options are available --- The Acaeum, brenfro's TSR Archive, and the Tome of Treasures are three sites that come to mind.

Badmike
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Posted: Sun Aug 02, 2009 4:19 pm

faro wrote:Tell you what. You pick four corrections to make to their site and I'll pick four for the Acaeum's listings and we'll see how many have been amended online within the week... fair enough?

d.

I see your point David. But I'd counter with "I'll find TEN corrections to the RPG Geek site for every ONE you need to make here...." and I'd have a hundred more left over. The entries are mostly incorrect, and not in the ways Acaeum entries are incorrect.....I'm talking basic stuff not esoteric differences in editions.

Some of the corrections I made just drive-by edition: Adding DCS as artist to B1; correcting James Holloway's entry in the database (it was spelled James Halloway); Adding TSR to publisher for most of the Star Frontiers stuff; adding correct page count to about a dozen items; adding map or poster information to a few listings; correcting a few Gamma World entries (that area is a MESS); Changing a writer or two for a few products. and more...and that's just flitting around the site.

A gripe is that there is no consistency to the categories of D&D items....basic items are listed as 1E, 1E items listed as 2E, 2E are listed as basic, a lot of stuff is listed as 3E, etc. I got the impression a lot of contributors weren't familiar with the cutoffs between editions and just threw everything in there to cover their ass.

I will say I think this could be a really good reference site in a few years, as long as contributors stay interested and keep correcting and updating. And, the correction process seems to be quick and easy (I haven't had an editior disallow a correction yet...wonder if you could sneak someting silly in there just for giggles?)

Mike B.

"THE MORE YOU THINK ABOUT WHY i DONE WHAT i DONE THE MORE i LAUGH" Cougar
"The Acaeum hates fun" Sir Allen
"I had a collecting emergency" Nogrod
Co-founder of the North Texas RPG Con
NTRPGCON

Badmike
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Posted: Sun Aug 02, 2009 4:20 pm

JohnGaunt wrote:We're all little f*cking rays of sunshine. You should know that by now.

It's just that RPG Geek does not appear to have been ready for launch. If the site is just a collection of generic information and errors . . . why bother with it? Other, better options are available --- The Acaeum, brenfro's TSR Archive, and the Tome of Treasures are three sites that come to mind.

RPG Geek is a site meant to generate traffic and revenue, and as such the listings don't have to be accurate, only plentiful....

Mike B.

"THE MORE YOU THINK ABOUT WHY i DONE WHAT i DONE THE MORE i LAUGH" Cougar
"The Acaeum hates fun" Sir Allen
"I had a collecting emergency" Nogrod
Co-founder of the North Texas RPG Con
NTRPGCON

faro
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Posted: Sun Aug 02, 2009 4:24 pm

JohnGaunt wrote:We're all little f*cking rays of sunshine. You should know that by now.

JohnGaunt wrote:It's just that RPG Geek does not appear to have been ready for launch.

Depends on how many people they think might be willing to work on data acquisition and/or are awaiting the opportunity to use the networking, collection management and other features. And people have been waiting a /long/ time.
The important step was to ensure the database structure was not /fundamentally/ flawed and give that a good rattling with some start-up data. There was no way they were going to suddenly go live with 50% of everything that's ever been produced with 95% accuracy with just a beta test team.

JohnGaunt wrote:If the site is just a collection of generic information and errors . . . why bother with it? Other, better options are available --- The Acaeum, brenfro's TSR Archive, and the Tome of Treasures are three sites that come to mind.

(You forgot rpg.net

*jk*)
All of which have limited search functionality and none of which have a database backend or community integration.

02c/ymmv anyhow,
David.

"7.3 ORGANIZING THE PARTY: Always have a keg, even if it's BYOB...
7.4 TAKING THE GAME SERIOUSLY: Don't"

faro
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Posted: Sun Aug 02, 2009 4:33 pm

Badmike wrote:I see your point David. But I'd counter with "I'll find TEN corrections to the RPG Geek site for every ONE you need to make here...." and I'd have a hundred more left over. The entries are mostly incorrect, and not in the ways Acaeum entries are incorrect.....I'm talking basic stuff not esoteric differences in editions.

Mhmm... agreed, Mike. I can see a good few errors from a casual glance but have to admit that's a seriously huge scope they've set and I'm pretty sure the number of active beta test team member was very small to cover that. I'm happier to see that live and ropey vs. not there at all, though, since it's better to get things rolling once they knew the underlying structure and sample data entries could cope. The existing BGG is not totally dissimilar for those, anyhow; tried-and-trusted with a solid userbase.

Badmike wrote:Some of the corrections I made just drive-by edition: Adding DCS as artist to B1; correcting James Holloway's entry in the database (it was spelled James Halloway); Adding TSR to publisher for most of the Star Frontiers stuff; adding correct page count to about a dozen items; adding map or poster information to a few listings; correcting a few Gamma World entries (that area is a MESS); Changing a writer or two for a few products. and more...and that's just flitting around the site.

A gripe is that there is no consistency to the categories of D&D items....basic items are listed as 1E, 1E items listed as 2E, 2E are listed as basic, a lot of stuff is listed as 3E, etc. I got the impression a lot of contributors weren't familiar with the cutoffs between editions and just threw everything in there to cover their ass.

Well, if people want to help, they can.
Heck, there might even be value in getting official buy-in en-masse rather than just from individuals. Or would they really reject an offer for an "expert" team from "over here" to go tidy-up/work on "over there"?

Badmike wrote:I will say I think this could be a really good reference site in a few years, as long as contributors stay interested and keep correcting and updating. And, the correction process seems to be quick and easy (I haven't had an editior disallow a correction yet...wonder if you could sneak someting silly in there just for giggles?)

Mike B.

Absolutely sure; the same goes for Wikipedia and despite editor frustrations there that's still very much "of general value" across a very wide range of topics. No-one ever claimed that either would kill off the need for specialist sites.

"7.3 ORGANIZING THE PARTY: Always have a keg, even if it's BYOB...
7.4 TAKING THE GAME SERIOUSLY: Don't"

jasonw1239
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Posted: Sun Aug 02, 2009 4:58 pm

I read the Chaosium entry and most of it is lifted directly from the Chaosium web site.

Check out my Chaosium sourcebook.
Secrets of Tibet

faro
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Posted: Sun Aug 02, 2009 5:01 pm

jasonw1239 wrote:I read the Chaosium entry and most of it is lifted directly from the Chaosium web site.

http://rpg.geekdo.com/rpgpublisher/23 , first line. "From the Publishers website:"
There's a link at the top of the page to drum up business for them, too.

"7.3 ORGANIZING THE PARTY: Always have a keg, even if it's BYOB...
7.4 TAKING THE GAME SERIOUSLY: Don't"

mbassoc2003
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Posted: Sun Aug 02, 2009 5:26 pm

Problem is, they are turning the word 'geek' into the word 'wanker'. In my experience, 'geeks' are fastidious and detail orientated to the point of boredom if you are not similarily 'geeky'. Where as 'wankers' in my experience are ignorant people who are generally full of shit.

This week I've been mostly eating . . . The white ones with the little red flecks in them.

grubbiv
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Posted: Sun Aug 02, 2009 5:35 pm

faro,

Do you know how the bgg/geekdo site is implemented? Did they use a CMS product like Drupal, or is it all homegrown PHP?

faro
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Posted: Sun Aug 02, 2009 5:48 pm

grubbiv wrote:faro,

Do you know how the bgg/geekdo site is implemented? Did they use a CMS product like Drupal, or is it all homegrown PHP?

I'd been more-or-less presuming bottom-up homegrown rather than custom code insertion or other halfway house solutions from a few discussions over on the BGG fora in the past and the number of developer microbadges. *jk*
Don't honestly know the answer though, sorry, and not my dev platform line from the past.

"7.3 ORGANIZING THE PARTY: Always have a keg, even if it's BYOB...
7.4 TAKING THE GAME SERIOUSLY: Don't"

Plaag
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Posted: Sat Oct 31, 2009 12:09 pm

Anyone been looking over this site since August. I just checked out the Judges Guild section, but not much there.

ShaneG.

I reject your reality and substitute my own

mbassoc2003
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Posted: Sat Oct 31, 2009 12:29 pm

I won't visit there on principle. I have an issue with people making money from posting bullshit.

This week I've been mostly eating . . . The white ones with the little red flecks in them.

Badmike
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Posted: Sat Oct 31, 2009 1:15 pm

Plaag wrote:Anyone been looking over this site since August. I just checked out the Judges Guild section, but not much there.

ShaneG.

As we guessed, the site is as useless as shit on a stick. I made myself stick around long enough to enter some magazine covers, but it's apparent most people listing don't have a clue and are doing it just to get "Geek Gold", witness the many errors. The mistakes are numerous and varied, and it could be a career just to stick around and correct them. In summary, it could be useful if you knew nothing about games, but it's not much interest to those that post here often.

Mike B.

"THE MORE YOU THINK ABOUT WHY i DONE WHAT i DONE THE MORE i LAUGH" Cougar
"The Acaeum hates fun" Sir Allen
"I had a collecting emergency" Nogrod
Co-founder of the North Texas RPG Con
NTRPGCON

mbassoc2003
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Posted: Sat Oct 31, 2009 2:32 pm

Most of the members/contributors appear to be FOS. That says a lot about the type of people that use and run the site.

This week I've been mostly eating . . . The white ones with the little red flecks in them.

deimos3428
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Posted: Mon Nov 02, 2009 9:23 am

I just clicked on the link to the site after re-reading the thread. First thing that caught my eye was a fairly large Troll and Toad advertisement in the midst of a vomit of seemingly random blue text links.

I can't really give the site a fair review, as that's such a bad first impression I saw no need to click further and closed the tab as fast as possible.

mbassoc2003
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Posted: Mon Nov 02, 2009 10:52 am

That sounds like a fairly honest and succinct review to me.
It reflects most people's impressions and experiences of the site.

It would be hard to expand on that review, and add honest opinion and detail, without using profanity and four letter words. The site is FOS, and I can only imagine that comes from it's owners and users.

This week I've been mostly eating . . . The white ones with the little red flecks in them.

Badmike
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Posted: Mon Nov 02, 2009 12:14 pm

mbassoc2003 wrote:That sounds like a fairly honest and succinct review to me.
It reflects most people's impressions and experiences of the site.

It would be hard to expand on that review, and add honest opinion and detail, without using profanity and four letter words. The site is FOS, and I can only imagine that comes from it's owners and users.

Unlike other sites (Acaeum, Acaeum wiki, Tome of Treasures, etc), the "Geek" sites are used to generate revenue. They don't have to be anything but "there" to make the owners money, and there is little incentive to keep them accurate because of that.

If someone from here wanted to invest quite a bit of time (say, 3-4 hours a day) to correcting and fixing up entries it could probably be a great site. But really, why should anyone do that when you are getting "Geek Gold" instead of actual compensation for your efforts.

Mike B.

"THE MORE YOU THINK ABOUT WHY i DONE WHAT i DONE THE MORE i LAUGH" Cougar
"The Acaeum hates fun" Sir Allen
"I had a collecting emergency" Nogrod
Co-founder of the North Texas RPG Con
NTRPGCON

jasonw1239
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Posted: Mon Nov 02, 2009 1:42 pm

They have the entry under my name listed with an alternate name of Jason S. Williams.
I have no S in my middle initials. My full name is Jason Joseph Elliot Williams.
At the moment I have no plans to sign up to that site to make corrections.

Check out my Chaosium sourcebook.
Secrets of Tibet

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