I was not sure on how this forum would interact with the other forum of the PbP section so instead weighting what would be better in theoretical situations, I looked at some of the boards you provided that were using this system and I simply tried to follow the train of thought of a few ooc threads. Here’re my impressions:

It was often difficult to have all the information about a character as sometimes, someone would post only the character name and I had to hunt for the description in the other forum. Some other times, only a short-to-average length description was given and I had to guess if there would be more in the other forum (often, it did). However, my efforts were not always rewarded. Sometimes, there was no thread at all in the Bios forum to provide a more detailed description about a character in the ooc forum that was short in details. Sometimes, I would found the same short description in both Bios and ooc. Some other times, the person simply ignored the Bios forum and posted what was obviously a complete description in the ooc thread.

With this in mind, there is at least one conclusion that I can be sure of, the ooc threads should always contain the complete character description as it is easier (especially for a newbie) to scroll down a long post than looking around for information that may not even exist in another forum. I don’t blame anyone, someone could just update their characters in the Bios forum and forgot to do the same in the ooc thread (and vice versa). Add to this the people who do not want or who do not see a need to maintain a thread in the Bios forum and the board ends up with an additional layer disorganizing what you try to make more efficient.

Setting this aside, would it be a good idea to have a Bios forum? Perhaps. However, it would depend greatly on how many persons would use it and I do not think the time is ripe for such thing. I explain, there no more than a dozen of active users in the RP section of the board and not everyone would maintain a thread about their characters in a newly created forum. A forum that would contain less than a dozen threads would feel quite empty and raise questions if there was not another solution to implement or at least test this idea. For example, people could use of the tag [i]"CHARS:"[/i] or [i]"CHARACTERS: <user name>"[/i] and post their threads amongst the others in the OOC forum. The tag would make the threads easy to identify and it could serve it purpose of allowing people to add details to a character no matter where they are (I remember when I carried a paper version of Shyska or Hasaï around so I could work on themduring my free time at college/university). So in that regard, it can certainly be useful.

Later, if this idea become popular to the point of needing it own forum, one can be created and the topics moved there.

Then I guess I stand corrected.

My entire idea is about separeting the bios from the rps, putting them in a neatly arranged forum to prevent clutter as well as spam.

I thought the trouble in the first place was that the OOC forums are... ...cluttered. Am I wrong?

Not quite.

The forum would be for the bios only, and the threads for rp recruiting would be confined to OOC, where they belong. It's not so hard to copy and paste, really.

I think if Tempest added another [i]forum[/i], then we could have one thread for each rp in that forum and everyone could put characters in there instead of the OOC section. Not that I have any say whatsoever...

Though your opinion is appreciated, I believe I am the one posting this request. I believe it is for admin to decide. I also believe you lack that deciding status, am I not correct?

*fuming* Little for Us to decide? pshaw! Little fior you by the same token!

Well, all I can say is that little of this is up for you to decide. I have placed my request and my suggestions. We now must see what the higher powers have to say.

I second Jish.

Well I think things are fine the way they are.....
You can write your own characters on microsoft word, and copy and paste
them to the game you want to play.... this is a little unneccisary.....
You dont want to clutter the site......

yep i like that idea......................anyone else with me? :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) :wink: :wink: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :wink: :wink: :wink: :wink: :wink:

One thread per person, and that person can post as many characters as they want in that thread, without having to worry about other people posting on the thread to clutter it up.

well then if u think about that would u have a different post for each character or one for each person(us)?

So? What does it matter, how many characters someone might have?

It still helps to have some organization to it all.

Points for creativity, but I doubt it'll actually work. Note that some keep the same character(me), and some have tons of different characters, even a few in one thread.

i agree with neco.........he does have a point there r a lot of side comments everytime someone posts something. a different forum would be a good idea.

@John.

Tell me why, don't just state an opinion.

@Jish.

Yeah. One thread. One. [i]One.[/i] Can I get that across any clearer? No. One thread, and twenty people all posting in it. Imagine how annoying that would be, to have to scroll through all the extra baggage to get to your character bio.

It would drive me insane. A seperate forum allows each person their own thread, and [i]space[/i] to place their bios only, without extra conversation, as I know several members of this board are prone to doing in other peoples threads.

A seperate forum is much better than cluttering OOC. Other boards do it that way. The Gryphon Guild has the OOC Forum, for plot discussions and rp sign-ups, the RP forum for role playing only, and Facets and Facades, for character bios only.

Unicorns Visions has the Away from the Woods forum for OOC talk, the Meeting Circle for plot discussion, several forums for role play, and [i]three[/i] forums for character bios: for evils, goods, and those that are joining.

Even Chanur & Compact space, a new board for rping, has that general setup: A place for OOC, a place to rp, and a place to put character bios.

It's far more effiecient to have a seperate forum.

You forget!! I have a thread called 'For future reference....' It is for what RP's are open to characters, it could also be for characters themselves.....

that probably will not work.

Yes. Or even better: Create a seperate forum specifically for that, to prevent clutter on OOC and a huge long thread. Each person can have their own personal thread to use for their character.

alright...back to being OT...

I suggest that we post our primary characters in...well, not this folder, but in one on the OOC thread. Does anyone agree with that?

Does the term 'screaming bloody murder' mean someone is screaming "Bloody Murder!" or just screaming loudly?

I'd not be able to be gone, except that it's the weekend, and I tend to stop existing over the weekend. Especialyl this weekend, since I'm not at home...

I am can hardly stay off this site for a day!!!