The Problem of Class Proliferation

[Joe the Rat]

We must consider that newer GM's have 0 experience regarding game balance and almost 0 capability for discerning between something OFFICIAL and something that seems official but it isn't.
Besides, if we start labeling supplements as officials we run the risk of "closing the door" to people who want to support the game with their own creation "why would a upload my X sub-class, which is rather interesting/good, if theres already an official one", we must try to avoid this...

I'd suggest a "Recommended" or "Preferred" supplement category, but the line between "recommended" and "official" blurs very quickly.

Maybe some sort of "playtest" and "under construction" grouping?

[MedievalMan]

Why don't we just create a "fan created" section and a "core" section. That way nothing is truly "official" but their is some distinction between what you "need" to play and what you can add in on your own.

[Dimirag]

They can go on a "Contribution" part, and each file must have a category or rating of: under construction/under development, playtest, playtested, etc. and a link to the forum discussion topic.
Other measurement types like "likes, recommended, interesting" are tricky, unless you put some "non-like it, non-recommended" you won't know if of the 20 people who downloaded the file but haven't put a "like it" they don't like it or never use it or just forgot to click the damn button...
I just prefer:
Name
Release Nº
Release Date
Link to comments

I don't mind having to read 20 times the same sub-class as long as they are rather different, I'm afraid we won't be able to stop from "quasi-clones" of existing classes to be upload without some kind of observation...

[Joe the Rat]

Why don't we just create a "fan created" section and a "core" section. That way nothing is truly "official" but their is some distinction between what you "need" to play and what you can add in on your own.

That's what we have right now. Arguably, everything outside the core book is fan-created.

[xav++]

There probably should be fan created and offically recommended. lol I don't want this place to turn into the CF that is the DnD wiki

[MedievalMan]

My question is why should anything beyond the core book be officially recommended? Isn't everything else a fan creation of one form or another?

[Steveman]

I propose that we avoid the word Official for any supplementary materials, seriously. The moment official is put on any supplement, you will have players badgering their gamemaster over why they aren't using it.

And to expand on what Joe said, everything that wasn't specifically written by Solo is undeniably a fan submission, and the stuff he has done probably also counts as I believe he is a fan of his own game.

[xav++]

Steveman you're right. It should be recommended.

[Steveman]

I don't even think Recommended is a good term to use either. Personally I would call the top category the Old Dungeoneer's Almanack, and have the following things in it:
Gnomes
Half-Humans
Druids
Illusionists
Assassins
A fighter sub-class
Combat Options
Thief Options
New Spells
New Monsters

The other two categories would be Modules (for adventures only) and Other Supplementary Materials (for the stuff that lacks the traction and tested quality of the stuff in the ODA)

[xav++]

Well we can all agree that we need a change.