Right, my turns done and the wife has given me a rest from decorating..
Please find my response.
laurence@lgtilley.freeserve.co.uk wrote:
> > Initially, probably not that much different (apart from the look
> of it).
>
> OK, then at the risk of being accused of being a misery. I'm going
> to challenge you to ask yourself some questions, then make a
> suggestion.
>
> Your site http://www.mepbm.com/ looks beautiful. I'm quite in awe
> of the swirly graphics, wish I could do something like that, and the
> muted colours are very modern. However the Internet is full of
> sites which are visually good, but weak on content, sometimes it
> seems that the quality of content is inverse to the quality of the
> grapics. So in view of the your response to my question, I think
> you should take some time to formulate a more specific, detailed and
> defined plan for what you want to achieve. Therefore I ask (for you
> to consider, rather than necessarily answer):
>
> 1) Does the world really need another Mepbm site?
My answer is yes. There can never be enough sites for mepbm. My reasons
for this are two fold. 10 if it wasn't for web sites dedicated to MePBM
that I found during my lunch hour, I never would have returned to mepbm.
It was reading these site that wetted my appetite again for the game.
Secondly I want to give back to the players that I have met and played
with over the years.
>
> 2) What will your site offer that others don't?
Well there is the Gallery 
... I would like to to make my site into
a site that the players want.. Rather than develop my site how I think
it should go, i would like the player to tell me what they want to see
on it..
>
> 3) Would it be better to contribute to another site rather than
> start a new one?
Yes and No. I would gladly contribute to another site, but with my
answer to no 1, there can't be enough sites as long as they are appropriate.
>
> 4) How much content will you duplicate and why?
I think that the most duplicated info would be the basic stuff, starting
sheets and stats. My reason being that virtually all existing players
have this, but newbies might not, if my site is the only one they ever
find, (which I hope not) at least they should have enough to start with.
>
> 5) Have you seen a draft of the new expanded rulebook, which already
> contains much more guidance and much of the starting nation
> information preveiously only available from sources such as the old
> Mouth of Sauron files and Bobbins?
No I haven't. I was going to volunteer myself for the proof reading, but
felt that from the posts on this list, there was a multitude of players
already doing this (I may be wrong!), and that a returning player my not
be able to spot all the mistakes as well as the others.
>
> 6) Have you considered the issues of difference of opinion regarding
> publication of 'concealed' game information? Sources such as MoS
> and Bobbins involved themselves in the dissemination of information
> such as encounter responses, whereas many players, perhaps even a
> majority feel that openly publishing encounter responses weakens the
> game. (I'm one of many players who keeps encounter tables which are
> more complete than those in open circulation.) You probably have to
> make a decision as to which side of the fence you want to be on, on
> this issue.
To be honest no, this is one of those ethical problems that would need
to be addressed. i haven't decided which way to go yet, but in the end I
probably will go with what the players who use the site want. Also, i
will only put up things on the site like this, that have specifically be
given for the site. If you gave me copies of those encounters for the
game we are in together, They would only be used for that game, unless
you said I could put them on the site, and you would receive the credit
for them.
>
> 7) Have you considered the issues of quality and authority if you
> are considering publishing "strategy articles"? I could write
> articles on how _I_ think most of the positions could and should be
> played, but like many experienced players I very deliberately choose
> not too. If I write "How to play a brilliant Arthedain" one week, I
> could find myself playing Witch King the next. _Some_ of the
> published strategy articles have been written by newishbies, who've
> played the position once. Some that I've read have given me great
> amusement. Certainly there are strategy guides which should not be
> given to newbies without a government health warning stamped on them
> in bright clear letters. The first advice on strategy, to give any
> newbie is "Talk to the other players on your team," and "Look at the
> strategy articles" should be only secondary, and qualified with dire
> warnings!
Yes i have. I plan to ensure that any articles/strategies come with a
brief Bio of how many times the writer has played the position and how
many games they have played. I agree with the comment on talk to the
others.. this is the best advise for anyone.
>
> My suggestion then, for how I do think you could make a unique
> contribution:
>
> A couple of years ago, I put my head above the parapet here to admit
> that I did not like "News from Bree" as a medium. To me it's old
> fashioned, and its periodical nature results in the delaying and
> later burying of good information. Hordes of Bree supporters
> emerged, and promptly tarred and feathered me. One chap even argued
> that I was wrong on account of the fact he liked to print his copy
> and read it on the train - hard to give a counter argument to that!
> Nonetheless, my opinion remains unchanged.
>
> This is where your web site could be useful. The alternative to
> Bree, or support system which would overcome its shortcomings, would
> be a large, organised, comprehensive and carefully indexed archive
> of all the past published material on Mepbm. I don't just mean
> another dump of MoS and Bree issues, I mean extracting the articles
> and re-presenting them as web articles. And there is a LOT of stuff
> out there, from all the old MoS articles, material on the of GSI
> site, material on old sites such as the Stormy site, down to modern
> stuff on the mepbm games site, Bobbins, and in the depths of the old
> Bree pdfs.
>
> Collecting and collating all that stuff, organising it, and creating
> a truly useful index or search engine facility, would be an
> acheivement that would benefit all players and make your site worth
> visiting. But make no mistake, it wouldn't just be an excerise
> in "Web design," but a substantial task of old fashioned, hard graft
> librarianship.
>
> That IMO should be the Holy Grail of ME web site makers. We've been
> waiting a long time for the right knight...
>
I totally agree with you this. It'll be hard work, and I mean bloody
hard work. I have installed a search script onthe server which could
help with this, and I'll be more than happy to attempt this. What does
everyone else think?
As for your comments the beginning to the look rather than content. I
have gone for this look and feel, to give it a bit of Jazz, but I intend
that the content is important. The look is to create a simple template,
that will run through the rest of the site, without ruining the content.
I hope this answers your questions and I'm more than happy to answer
more. Importantly though I am always open to criticism and ideas. Like I
said I want this to be a site for the players.
Dave
···
--- In mepbmlist@yahoogroups.com, enafos@a... wrote:
>
>
>
> Middle Earth PBM - hit reply to send to everyone
> To Unsubscribe: http://www.yahoogroups.com
> Website: http://www.MiddleEarthGames.com
>
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
> To visit your group on the web, go to:
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mepbmlist/
>
> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
> mepbmlist-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
>
> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
> http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
>
>
--
Information contained in this email and any files or documents
transmitted with it are confidential.
They are solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom they are
addressed and contain legally privileged information.
You must not copy, reproduce or disclose their contents to any other person.
If you are not the intended recipient, please notify the sender
immediately and delete from your computer.
Minors under the age of 16 also use this email account and any senders
of unsolicited adult material will be notified to the appropriate
authorities.
Users of this email account do not subscribe to or allow this email
address to be used for adult material mailing lists.
This email address may never be used for such mailing lists, and legal
action will be taken against senders from such lists.
