BFRPG Site (downloads) Organization

[SmootRK]

Talk of what is official or not, fan-creation or semi-official, etc. Generally, all items are Fan-Creations. As I see it, listing all downloads via one page gives the impression that these are all part of the BFRPG 'product line', when really the bulk of the stuff should be separated away from the CORE Material.

Organizing the Downloads so that #1 there is clear lines between some sense of Official/Recommended and stuff that is generally the catch all place for all other submissions (although there can be some organization here too). This is how I see the site evolving:

Downloads link goes to a Main Downloads Page, where the Core Rules are featured. Since this is going to be a relatively small page, I would suggest adding descriptions of submission guidelines, links to the forum, email links for submissions, etc. (mostly bulk stuff to fill up the page).
Some stuff can be placed here, basically stuff that is just expansions of core rules in the sense of MORE stuff (more monsters (field guide), more spells (upcoming spells supplement), more equipment (equipment emporium), etc. Alternatively this stuff might be found in the Recommended section detailed below.

One specific section of this page should describe that the Core Rules is all that is necessary for play.
Then go on to describe the following sections, making clear that all are OPTIONAL, even the Recommended Supplements.

From that downloads page, there should be sub-pages heading to (these names are just suggestive of the contents, and could have alternates):

Adventures Page - where one can find BFRPG Modules

Sheets, Forms, Charts (probably as expanding sections so as to not take up too much space) all the various

Advanced BFRPG Recommended Options - This is where Solomoriah (or other duly appointed) can insert certain download of items that sorta faithfully try to replicate a certain sort of gaming experience in congruence with the original game influences (you know game(s) I mean).
This could also contain certain Supplements that are simply expansions of the core rules (in sense of more stuff, more spells, more monsters, more equipment), and not necessarily new concepts such as classes, new systems (skills, backgrounds), etc.

Fan Stuff - Where fan creations, good bad and ugly, can be found. This page can (and should) have some organization at least "classes", "races", "new rules", more. The header of this page should describe explicitly that the contents of these downloads can vary widely in quality, content, balance, etc. Some good, some may be not so good, and that one needs to contemplate the balance issues of adding such material and that the play style may not remain so 'old-school' when adding elements from newer game influences.

Of course, anything that appears in the FAN STUFF section, might (rarely) eventually make its way to Solo's recommended section if it fits the sort of 'old school emulation' he has in mind.
The Fan Section should also include some sort of OpenSource disclaimer that anything shared with the community can be utilized in future works, modified, re-shared, or otherwise becomes property of the world at large. I think that sort of disclaimer is important to reinforce the OPEN mentality of our community.

[Dimirag]

I like the idea, maybe on the "Fan Stuff" can be required to give the forum-discussion related link, so before somebody download the file he can take a look at what other people says about it and so its easer to give comments about the file (comments can be made on the download file place but this can end on double.comments and really difficult a file progress)

[Hywaywolf]

That first page you listed with the core rules should be the Home page. In my opinion, the number one reason for the home page is to sell BFRPG and to provide a download link to get it. Then links to all that other stuff.

[SmootRK]

That first page you listed with the core rules should be the Home page. In my opinion, the number one reason for the home page is to sell BFRPG and to provide a download link to get it. Then links to all that other stuff.

Very Good Point. The CORE RULES Download Page should be the MAIN Page... and all the stuff currently listed on the main page (after the splash page - which needs to be removed for SEO reasons) should be moved to an "About Us and More" sort of page.

I like that idea very much.

About the splash page (just an image)... it looks nice. Now I don't know what kind of other stuff is in that page (contained in meta-tags, image information, or whatever) but SEO (search engine optimization) principles generally say that such splash pages only detract from search rankings, and that the first page encountered should contain as much text driven details, links, and relevant information as is humanly possible. Aesthetics aside, a good set of introductory paragraphs (with strategically placed relevant search terms inserted) should come first, followed by the main download links. Also to help search engine placement, each image used should have relevant names that would assist the search engines... they can also have descriptive text associated with them (embedded into the properties of the image itself).

SEO has some solid principles, but is also full of some quackery... just do the basics and let the actual word-of-mouth marketing do a lot more of the work.

I only say all this, because if Chris is going to do a bunch of re-writing of site layout, some of the SEO techniques ought to get utilized during that procedure. We don't need to be crazy about it, but a few tweaks can help.

[Solomoriah]

I'm agreeable to changing the main page to be the home page; I'll see to it in the next update. Putting download links for the core rules on that page is doable, though I'll probably just direct them to the appropriate part of the main download area.

As to breaking up the downloads page: You know not what you ask. That page is static, but it is built by a "page builder tool" of my own design, which is rather crufty inside but does a slick job building the page (and the RSS feed, and the "Announcing!" posts, and so on). Modifying it is a project I'll undertake only when I actually have time.

I do plan to create a file sharing area. I'll allow access on a person-by-person basis, with all user activations requiring my personal involvement; no illegal file sharing here if I can avoid it. I'd want it to have variable sorting, including by category, by title, by author's name (maybe), and by release date (descending). But that's a project also, which I will have to devote time to.

[Hywaywolf]

However you link to the core rules, my personal opinion is that it should be the prominent item there with maybe the completed adventures that are available for purchase and download. Everything not core rules or an adventure should go on a different page.

[SmootRK]

I'm agreeable to changing the main page to be the home page; I'll see to it in the next update. Putting download links for the core rules on that page is doable, though I'll probably just direct them to the appropriate part of the main download area.

As to breaking up the downloads page: You know not what you ask. That page is static, but it is built by a "page builder tool" of my own design, which is rather crufty inside but does a slick job building the page (and the RSS feed, and the "Announcing!" posts, and so on). Modifying it is a project I'll undertake only when I actually have time.

I do plan to create a file sharing area. I'll allow access on a person-by-person basis, with all user activations requiring my personal involvement; no illegal file sharing here if I can avoid it. I'd want it to have variable sorting, including by category, by title, by author's name (maybe), and by release date (descending). But that's a project also, which I will have to devote time to.

It is not my intent to load you down with a huge redesign project, but some re-organizing to achieve the objectives of 'official' clarity is certainly going to be necessary at some point.

If you make a file sharing area, you will certainly need to have submissions go through some sort of vetting process (as you state, to avoid any miss-use)... but otherwise, I hope you are amenable to allow a more open flow of submissions. Perhaps add a rating/review system so that people can get some opinions on a project before downloading... but that is another coding problem.

[Solomoriah]

The first step is taken... the old home page is gone, and the previous "main" page is now the home page.

[Solomoriah]

I've done some revisions to the website, primarily on the home page. Take a look and tell me what you all think!

[xav++]

not bad