Constructing a FAQ (and what ground to cover)

[surreality]

Hopefully, this will be helpful. I'm doing this now as I work on some things, and will probably add things here as I think of them as well.

Please note: this topic is not meant to be system-specific. As in, this is not 'this is a FAQ topic relevant only to WoD' or 'this is a FAQ topic relevant only to <game of choice>/<RPG system of choice>/<play style of choice>/etc.'. If there's stuff like that, don't hesitate to add it, but please mark it out as such, not as a generality that should apply to all the things ever.

Questions for complete hobby newbies are as welcome as questions for veteran players to help them figure out what exactly is going on on the game or what kind of game it is quickly.

[Alzie]

@surreality Since we've been talking about telnet lately, here's a good FAQ question that a newbie would have: 'I clicked on your connect to play link but it asked me what program I wanted to open the link in and there were none listed! What do?'

Edit: Assuming I understand the topic correctly and that you are asking for suggestions as to questions that might appear in an FAQ for our hobby.

[surreality]

@alzie Recommended clients is a big one, yeah. I'm a mac user, so I'm an Atlantis person -- I have no idea what else is really out there. There's actually a wikipedia page on this, with a collection of MUD clients and a comparison chart, even, but I'm not sure if that would confuse more than it would answer.

[faraday]

@surreality I usually just point people to Potato, MUSHClient and Atlantis. Covers the major platforms and doesn't overwhelm the user with choices.

[Three-Eyed Crow]

A quick blurb on what posing is and how to do it. The various commands (@emit, etc.) and what the norm writing style in play is (third-person, present-tense).

[fortydeuce]

@faraday For Chromebooks, there's Duck Client, as well (which should also work under Android).

[Bobotron]

@fortydeuce

For web-based clients, I recommend ChroMUD Alpha (http://chromud.whiteraventechnology.com/) and WebMU (http://www.cheesesoftware.com/MUCon/)

[fortydeuce]

Never tried that, @Bobotron. I just know Duck installs on a Chromebook as a discrete app, so you have a window that feels like a full program, even though it isn't -- I'd find it weird to MUSH from even a standalone browser window with a tab and what have you, but Duck doesn't have that feeling.

[Bobotron]

@fortydeuce

These are web-based, so they just open up in the window of whatever browser you're using, making them ideal for any platform.

[Rusalka]

For total newbies, how scenes actually work and what the grid is. I know this seems entirely obvious, but when I'd juuuuuust started MU*ing (back when trilobites roamed the primordial oceans), it took some figuring out. So I make a character, and this is how I pose and... then what? Some basic grid etiquette as well, like not wandering into private residences, could also be useful. Not that I ever did that as a rank newbie, thinking the entire grid was something I could explore. No, never.

[Scissors]

I have been using WebMu at work, because the company firewall shuts down port access for every other mu*client. Unfortunately WebMu seems to be down as of yesterday, and there is no way to tell if it's coming back.

Does anyone know anything about the state of WebMu?

[Arkandel]

A good trick is to literally maintain the FAQ with questions you see asked often.

So if you ever think "dammit, I just answered this one yesterday!"... well, that's a good candidate. They don't need to be one-offs.

[krmbm]

I mean, I know @faraday is already in this thread, but: https://aresmush.com/mush-101

There may be one or two sections that are Ares-specific, but - if you just wanted to give someone a run-down of what MUSHing is and what we as a community generally agree upon as conventions - this has a ton of great info that could be used for FAQ-building.

[faraday]

@krmbm I tried to keep it pretty generic and mention differences across servers.

[Auspice]

@fortydeuce said in Constructing a FAQ (and what ground to cover):

Never tried that, @Bobotron. I just know Duck installs on a Chromebook as a discrete app, so you have a window that feels like a full program, even though it isn't -- I'd find it weird to MUSH from even a standalone browser window with a tab and what have you, but Duck doesn't have that feeling.

Duck does install on Chrome itself, FYI. I've done this to help people troubleshoot Duck on various MU*s.

So you can use Duck on whatever OS you want.

[Cheesegrater]

@scissors said in Constructing a FAQ (and what ground to cover):

Does anyone know anything about the state of WebMu?

The hard drive hosting the database filled up. Should be all set now.

[Scissors]

@cheesegrater Thanks Big Cheese!

[Misadventure]

I like FAQs to have sections that address am area of questions, either in a linear list or as a tag in a wiki.

How do I connect to this game? (telnet, commonly used applications, less common applications)

What are advanced client features commonly used for? (Spawns, formatting, triggers etc)

Opening topics on roleplay online (posing, what is RP, ways that stories start in terms of player and staff creation and control, there is no winning)

Routine topics of roleplay (how to form groups, how the game system basics work, code used by players such as xp spends or requesting plot elements, PVE and PVP play styles)

Complex topics (cheating, complaints, advice on how to help others succeed and have fun)

Social contract on behavior

Game design notes (what is the purpose goals and limits of theme, code minigames, guidelines for character vs player action, why are policies the way they are in particular)

That sort of thing, so people have an idea where they want to look, and where similar unknown topics may be at.

[magee101]

@misadventure said in Constructing a FAQ (and what ground to cover):

I like FAQs to have sections that address am area of questions, either in a linear list or as a tag in a wiki.

How do I connect to this game? (telnet, commonly used applications, less common applications)

What are advanced client features commonly used for? (Spawns, formatting, triggers etc)

Opening topics on roleplay online (posing, what is RP, ways that stories start in terms of player and staff creation and control, there is no winning)

Routine topics of roleplay (how to form groups, how the game system basics work, code used by players such as xp spends or requesting plot elements, PVE and PVP play styles)

Complex topics (cheating, complaints, advice on how to help others succeed and have fun)

Social contract on behavior

Game design notes (what is the purpose goals and limits of theme, code minigames, guidelines for character vs player action, why are policies the way they are in particular)

That sort of thing, so people have an idea where they want to look, and where similar unknown topics may be at.

YES so efficient. It makes it easier to write in a way as well because you can start with the questions themselves and then get around to answering them as you figure it out haha.

[mietze]

I would add that it's a good idea to have other eyes on what's written before it is published, and consider ruthlessly editing for concise, non-rambling, non-preachy answers.

Sometimes things have to be a little long, but if you cannot answer it directly and to the point without it expanding into an essay, then that needs to be a link to a help file or something at the end of a very concise statement.

For subject matter, staff's preferred way/type of contact. Since this is hugely individual game culture dependent. Does staff only want game questions via request (so they have a record)? Do they prefer to keep things informal (page or mail) unless they ask for it to be more formal like a request. Is there someone who is the primary contact for certain things.