As it says in the title, we have a handful* of "game" forums here that aren't game forums, but since they're hosted int he Game Forums sections, they're treated as games.  Y'all know which ones I'm talking about, the various '[SYSTEM] Lounges' forums.  Forums that are more community, and specifically rules discussion (or GM help), than 'games'.

I've heard in the past that given certain (unnamed or unremembered) criteria they could transition from "game" to "not game".  So does anyone know what that criteria is, because I've yet to see it happen the last 5 years I've been here (maybe it has and I've just missed it, all things are possible).

if it is something  you Play..RP  ect..its a game.

if its  something were you just talk...it is not a game.

First: whether you call it a "game" or a "forum", it is still a privately run board, as opposed to the site-operated public forums, and is still subject to the same rules regarding where it can be mentioned in the site's public forums.

Second: information on the creation and operation of user forums can be found in the Help: /help/?t=help&page=userforums  The GM of a newly created board needs to place it in the Discussion category, and check a box to make it a forum.

That doesn't tell me whether a Discussion forum falls under those same rules viv-a-vis being mentionable outside of the four Advertisement forums.  If they are a separate thing from Games and thus mentionable... how do we find these Discussion forums?

I don't see a Discussion category, just 11 Public forums and Games Search.


That FAQ has erroneous information.  There is no 'Discussion' category.

https://i.imgur.com/Z6Y986Z.png

Or is there some other way to access the Create Game Wizard which will include a "Classification" for 'Discussion'?

I guess you didn't spot where I said that it would still fall under the same rules as any other user run board on the site.  Meaning that a user run forum can only be mentioned in those four forums where games can be mentioned, and only by a person who runs the forum that is being mentioned.

As for access to the Discussion category, I believe the procedure, currently, is that the board gets started as a normal game, and runs as such.  If it's still running after a reasonable amount of time, does not duplicate an existing user forum, consists of discussion centred on gaming, and has not given any problems with regards to content (eg: no breaches of Adult content rules, no links to illegal downloads of copyrighted material, no flame wars spilling out into the rest of the site, etc), then you can request that it be made a discussion board, and we will consider it.

See, that's what my OP question was asking.

So there is no "start it as a 'Discussion' forum Classification".  It's a Game until such a time as proves it's worth and value to be more than that*... despite no one actually playing games and it being a useful resource that can't be discussed anywhere but in four advertisement forums, and then only in threads started by the owners of the 'Discussion' forum.

This is why I think the rules here are sometimes wacky.

Okay, I'll poke the owners and see if they can't shake the chain... likely they did so years ago and nothing's changed since.  But eh, worth a shot.


* And I don't see any Discussion forums anywhere.  So I'm betting this has never happened, which is disheartening.

You would lose that bet.  There have been at least five, though none are currently active.

It's easy to forget that most of the restrictive policies on RPOL weren't something that the site started out with...they came about because people abused the lack of policy and forced the site's Powers That Be to intercede and say, "Okay...since people don't seem able to manage this without guidelines, here are The Guidelines."  I've seen it happen a few times (like the 'no politics in Community Chat' policy, most notably), and heard stories of several more.

Have they been erased or did they just go inactive?

Two were deleted, three are still on site and can be found using the Browse/Search for Games function.

Just for a for instance here.

I once created what I thought would be a good forum addition.  It was a place for other GMs to have a blurb about their game and a link set in a category.  Then also Categories for premade characters looking for GMs so the GMs could look and check if there were any characters that they might like to have in their game and rmail the player of the creation to see if they would be interested in joining.  It was more character driven not like wanted GM or Wanted Players.  It didn't get any interest so I deleted it but had it gotten interest I would maybe have hoped it would be picked up as a forum.  But it was created by me and would then be a privately owned 'game' and was geared towards characters not specific game systems as it would have had them all.  I KNEW it was not a forum but that it was still a privately owned game even if it was meant to help the site if it could.

That sounds like an excellent idea, Lady S. I can't understand why there was so little interest for it IMHO.

not sure   what Lady S's  forum was called, but....most folks  just looked at Titles.

 My games  all run on my  own system, simple, effective and Made  for RP and  charcter building ect ect.

 some folks see 'semi-free form' and thing its a Home for god moding?..which? any of my players will tell you is very far from the truth, some players walked away when they found out there were rules.

 anyway... it might have been a simple thing  as Lady s"s  title for her forum .Maybe, somehting like " 'Characters r  Us"..that would grab attention. It would be like a free agent in football

 threads  could be added for each character and GMs  could talk with those players on what that character  would need  to change  to fight into thier Game/system.

FREEFORM GAME LISTS (for all GMs & Players to use)

That was the title and it was for Freeformers only because I know nothing about any system games, sad to say.  Though the way I had it set up it could have encorporated the System games too maybe.  But still in answer to the question it would be classified as a 'game'.

I may try it again sometime.  Since I am retired I have the time to handle something like this.  Just need a proper name for the game.  LOL  I was doing it to help others but even I as a Freeform GM could benefit from it.  It being a 'game' instead of a Forum I would advertise it once a week.  Forums do not do that so there you go that is a plus for the privately owned forum ...

  Lady S,  the terms  game and Forum, are just that?...Names.. they do not mean much. Folks  will go to it and if the see it isn't a game, walk away, but if its something they can use , they will join.

 just put in the title,  " GM tool"..'GM Forum"  whatever, if you can post it once a week like a game?  do it..or  post it as you think you need/want. That's the  thing about the   boards here. You can get  caught  up   in putting 'tags' on things. I think its  done , more or less to start convos.

  I am retired as well,  I tried to run D&D games   2 and 3e, but   pathfinder and  4e, 5e  has the younger folks, I won't give   them any more of  my money...most of the changes have made  D&D , work Like 'In The Labyrinth"  , by steve jackson games,  and that game is tactical , with a hexboard  so  its  cut and dried for movement.

 anyway... I made my own sytem, i'm happy with it, my players  are happy , some? well.. they  just move on  after the RTJ 'interview"..but those who stay help the games grow,

 In the end?.. if its going to be listed  as  a Game...post your ads, as a game>  don't get hung up on the 'names"

I was just using 'game' and 'Forum' to reply to the Question.  Thank you for sound advice as always Don.