Do Character Development/Optimization belong in fundamentals? - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Do Character Development/Optimization belong in fundamentals?

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
FitzNighteyes
Jul 24, 2009 23:37:01 Tossing out a idle thought I had looking at the forum list a while ago:

Do the Character Optimization and Character Development forums belong in the D&D Fundamentals sub-forum? Wouldn't they be better off under D&D Community? Both of those forums are about polling the community for ideas on how to tailor your character, not necessarily basics of the system.

Of course, there is at least one thing I can think of to make the idea a non-starter, even if it might they might make more sense to have elsewhere. Moving a forum's location could be devastating to the community for each of those sub-forums. That's a big deal, and far more important than where a forum is actually located.

Anyway, I'm curious to see if anyone even thinks that would even make sense.
#2
Seeker95
Jul 25, 2009 7:25:48
Char Dev seems generic enough to be moved. It does not rely on rulesets. Rather, it is focused on the character idea elements -- hooks, backgrounds, rationales. But...
Char Op relies on the basic (and advanced) rules of the game. Its very premise uses the fundamentals of the game -- all of the fundamentals. Class rules, race rules, rules rules.
Because these two categories are often linked in the Member's mind (okay, this Member's mind), separating them would be unproductive (in my opinion).
#3
wrecan
Jul 25, 2009 7:29:47 Fundamentals has become the 4e-specific boards. There is a board for [forum=693]optimizing non-4e characters[/forum]. So Character Optimization, in my opinion, should remain in the 4e-specific section of these forums.

In my opinion, Character Development should be merged into What's a Player to Do? I don't think Char Dev gets enough traffic to warrant its own forum, mostly because WaPtD? serves much the same function. However, we've been waiting a year just to have General Discussion moved to the bottom of the HQ section. So I wouldn't hold our collective breaths on this point.
#4
kratch
Jul 25, 2009 11:13:18
Char Dev seems generic enough to be moved. It does not rely on rulesets. Rather, it is focused on the character idea elements -- hooks, backgrounds, rationales. But...
Char Op relies on the basic (and advanced) rules of the game. Its very premise uses the fundamentals of the game -- all of the fundamentals. Class rules, race rules, rules rules.
Because these two categories are often linked in the Member's mind (okay, this Member's mind), separating them would be unproductive (in my opinion).

I agree and disagree. What is being posted onto these two boards is very much as you put it, with char-op making a great deal more use of the rules and basic fundamentals... except a lot of the posts that do so are better suited to the actual class boards. The various handbooks, for example... why are they in char-op and not the class boards? I see char-op as a place one goes to "tweak" ones characters, and thats a community thing moreso then a fundamentals thing (it may use the rules, but the goal isn't an understanding of the rules, it is a better character and not essential to the rules). While whats getting posted in char-op that helps define or clarify the fundamentals (which is really what I think the fundamental boards are for, not just making "use of" the rules, but actually examining them) really should be in the class forums, not isolated in char-op.
#5
CoarseDragon
Jul 27, 2009 14:42:58 If I needed help with Character Development (background development) and there was no board specifically titled Character Development I think I would probably go to General because "What's a Player To Do" does not seem intuitive to asking about developing a background for a character.
#6
wrecan
Jul 27, 2009 15:55:15 Then that's a problem with the name of the board. Because developing character backgrounds is exactly what players do (and thus would ask "What's a player to do?" if they have difficulties).
#7
The_Stray
Jul 27, 2009 23:24:44 As one of the voices of the Char Dev board, I feel that I must protest the idea of merging the Char Dev board with others. Moved, I could see, as it's not 4e specific, but the types of things usually discussed on the WaPtd? board tends to field questions about player dynamics (complaints about tyrant DMs and Problem Players, suggestions for new players, that sort of thing, various 1001 lists) and aren't focused on the characters they play.
#8
archyneir
Jul 28, 2009 0:56:30
Do the Character Optimization and Character Development forums belong in the D&D Fundamentals sub-forum? Wouldn't they be better off under D&D Community?

I agree that both should be moved, since neither is actually an integral, (thus; "fundamental") aspect of the core game itself. I'll support this move to better pastures if it helps un-clutter the boards and helps to place the current forums in a more appropriate sub-forum.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 FitzNighteyes Jul 24, 2009 23:37:01	Tossing out a idle thought I had looking at the forum list a while ago: Do the Character Optimization and Character Development forums belong in the D&D Fundamentals sub-forum? Wouldn't they be better off under D&D Community? Both of those forums are about polling the community for ideas on how to tailor your character, not necessarily basics of the system. Of course, there is at least one thing I can think of to make the idea a non-starter, even if it might they might make more sense to have elsewhere. Moving a forum's location could be devastating to the community for each of those sub-forums. That's a big deal, and far more important than where a forum is actually located. Anyway, I'm curious to see if anyone even thinks that would even make sense.
#2 Seeker95 Jul 25, 2009 7:25:48	Char Dev seems generic enough to be moved. It does not rely on rulesets. Rather, it is focused on the character idea elements -- hooks, backgrounds, rationales. But... Char Op relies on the basic (and advanced) rules of the game. Its very premise uses the fundamentals of the game -- all of the fundamentals. Class rules, race rules, rules rules. Because these two categories are often linked in the Member's mind (okay, this Member's mind), separating them would be unproductive (in my opinion).
#3 wrecan Jul 25, 2009 7:29:47	Fundamentals has become the 4e-specific boards. There is a board for [forum=693]optimizing non-4e characters[/forum]. So Character Optimization, in my opinion, should remain in the 4e-specific section of these forums. In my opinion, Character Development should be merged into What's a Player to Do? I don't think Char Dev gets enough traffic to warrant its own forum, mostly because WaPtD? serves much the same function. However, we've been waiting a year just to have General Discussion moved to the bottom of the HQ section. So I wouldn't hold our collective breaths on this point.
#4 kratch Jul 25, 2009 11:13:18	Char Dev seems generic enough to be moved. It does not rely on rulesets. Rather, it is focused on the character idea elements -- hooks, backgrounds, rationales. But... Char Op relies on the basic (and advanced) rules of the game. Its very premise uses the fundamentals of the game -- all of the fundamentals. Class rules, race rules, rules rules. Because these two categories are often linked in the Member's mind (okay, this Member's mind), separating them would be unproductive (in my opinion). I agree and disagree. What is being posted onto these two boards is very much as you put it, with char-op making a great deal more use of the rules and basic fundamentals... except a lot of the posts that do so are better suited to the actual class boards. The various handbooks, for example... why are they in char-op and not the class boards? I see char-op as a place one goes to "tweak" ones characters, and thats a community thing moreso then a fundamentals thing (it may use the rules, but the goal isn't an understanding of the rules, it is a better character and not essential to the rules). While whats getting posted in char-op that helps define or clarify the fundamentals (which is really what I think the fundamental boards are for, not just making "use of" the rules, but actually examining them) really should be in the class forums, not isolated in char-op.
#5 CoarseDragon Jul 27, 2009 14:42:58	If I needed help with Character Development (background development) and there was no board specifically titled Character Development I think I would probably go to General because "What's a Player To Do" does not seem intuitive to asking about developing a background for a character.
#6 wrecan Jul 27, 2009 15:55:15	Then that's a problem with the name of the board. Because developing character backgrounds is exactly what players do (and thus would ask "What's a player to do?" if they have difficulties).
#7 The_Stray Jul 27, 2009 23:24:44	As one of the voices of the Char Dev board, I feel that I must protest the idea of merging the Char Dev board with others. Moved, I could see, as it's not 4e specific, but the types of things usually discussed on the WaPtd? board tends to field questions about player dynamics (complaints about tyrant DMs and Problem Players, suggestions for new players, that sort of thing, various 1001 lists) and aren't focused on the characters they play.
#8 archyneir Jul 28, 2009 0:56:30	Do the Character Optimization and Character Development forums belong in the D&D Fundamentals sub-forum? Wouldn't they be better off under D&D Community? I agree that both should be moved, since neither is actually an integral, (thus; "fundamental") aspect of the core game itself. I'll support this move to better pastures if it helps un-clutter the boards and helps to place the current forums in a more appropriate sub-forum.