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 Forum index » Archive » Archive: Perplex City » PXC: Questions/Meta
[META] Problems with Puzzlecards/Need new forum?
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Marduk
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 		[META] Problems with Puzzlecards/Need new forum?
While reading through the Updates section, it occured to me what a disaster the Puzzles section here is going to be when they release upwards of 300 puzzle cards at the same time. I'm starting this thread to get some discussion going on how each card should be handled in this forum.

Before I get into the cards themselves, since we'll have 300+ to deal with, it might be worth considering a seperate area for the puzzlecards than for all other PC related puzzles (web sites, phone calls, etc.). Maybe even several seperate areas broken down by puzzle card number.

I know there are currently decisions being made at Mind Candy regarding the size and resolution of card scans we will be able to post, but I would LOVE for the admins, mods, and members to be able to get on the same page about how threads for each of these cards will be started. We've had six posted so far and I think we had six differently formatted starting posts. Here's what I think a first post on a new puzzlecard should look like:

Subject Line: [PUZZLE/SOLVE STATUS] Card #xxx, Card Color, "Title of Card"

And then in the body should be the FULL TEXT of the card, and a scan of the card at whatever resolution we're allowed. And I would prefer if the poster would save his solve or specing for subsequent posts and just have ONLY the puzzle card info in the first post, but I understand that isn't likely to happen.

On at least one of the intial puzzle card posts for the "preview" set people got in the parcels, there was neither the full text of the card nor a scan. Just spec and part of a solve. To those of us without the cards, that post is completely useless and frustrating. No offense to Salkunh, but this is exactly the sort of post we don't need.

My 2 cents... thoughts anyone?

[EDIT: fixed topic, moved to Meta. yanka.]

EDIT 5/3/2005 4:00pm EST - Updated the proposed Subject Line based on feedback. -Marduk
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PostPosted: Tue May 03, 2005 12:56 pm
Last edited by Marduk on Tue May 03, 2005 4:59 pm; edited 5 times in total
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Scott
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 		I second the motion. exactly as above.

I know everyone wants to be the fFirst to get a solve, but in this case the cards will come in their own way, trickling in as people get them. So take a fFew moments and compose a rightly organized posted card when you get one. do not post crappy scans. do not post unclear copy. Do not mislabel or give away the solution in the heading.

I may suggest card solve thread get their own fForum. but that may be duplicitous.
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PostPosted: Tue May 03, 2005 1:03 pm
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yanka
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 		1. I moved this to Meta, because that's really where a meta topic like this belongs.

2. I'm sure a new forum for the puzzle cards can easily be accomodated; however, I don't really see a need for it yet (but it's really not up to me, anyway). But so far we only have 6 cards, and the current Puzzles forum can certainly handle that.

3. As far as including the card scans with the topic: yeah, it should be done, but if the original poster does not have an image/link to image of the card, then you can either PM them, PM one of the mods, or include the image yourself Smile In the case of the post you're talking about, the card image is there - it's the 4th post down.

4. My opinion - you can't really make people transcribe text if they don't want to spend their time doing it, nor can you make them not include the solve if they already have it, and want to be the first person posting it. Without getting too deep into the money issues again - as long as it's spoilered, the solve at the start of the thread is quite ok with me, for one Smile
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PostPosted: Tue May 03, 2005 1:22 pm
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Marduk
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yanka wrote:
1. I moved this to Meta, because that's really where a meta topic like this belongs.


Thanks! Embarassed

yanka wrote:
2. I'm sure a new forum for the puzzle cards can easily be accomodated; however, I don't really see a need for it yet (but it's really not up to me, anyway). But so far we only have 6 cards, and the current Puzzles forum can certainly handle that.


You're absolutely right, I'm talking about trying to preemptively create some structure for when the cards go on sale and everyone will be trying to post them at the same time. Obviously there will be instances of double posts and the like and moderator vigilance will be needed.

yanka wrote:
3. As far as including the card scans with the topic: yeah, it should be done, but if the original poster does not have an image/link to image of the card, then you can either PM them, PM one of the mods, or include the image yourself Smile In the case of the post you're talking about, the card image is there - it's the 4th post down.


I understand, and I did see that the scan was the fourth post down. I'm just saying that, if possible, people need to really try and put the scans in their first post. Maybe this is something the mods can help with if it isn't too much work - to edit the initial post to include a copy of the scan?

yanka wrote:
4. My opinion - you can't really make people transcribe text if they don't want to spend their time doing it, nor can you make them not include the solve if they already have it, and want to be the first person posting it. Without getting too deep into the money issues again - as long as it's spoilered, the solve at the start of the thread is quite ok with me, for one Smile


I know, you can't make anyone do anything. But if you dont try to establish a common, preferred format, there won't be one. It'll be very chaotic. And I don't really mind if there is a solve included either if there is a description and/or a scan (so the solve will have some meaning to me). Again, I'll refer to Salkunh's post that I linked to back above (Salkunh, I'm not trying to pick on you, you rock Smile ) - The post would be completely meaningless to you unless you're looking at the card. I didn't have a card, I didn't know what Sal was talking about. The post was meaningless to me. It wasn't at all a problem though since we were only dealing with 6 cards and, ya know, 10,000 people came swarming in to help and post descriptions and scans, but it won't be like that when we've got 300+ to deal with at the same time, especially since we will have rare cards to deal with.

Again, my point is that if the powers that be don't make efforts at communicating a common, preferred format, there won't be one, and that will be a headache for us all.
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PostPosted: Tue May 03, 2005 1:34 pm
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Wishi-san
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 		As for topic lines, I'm gonna go for [PUZZLE/SOLVED] #000 Colour - Title of Puzzlecard.
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PostPosted: Tue May 03, 2005 2:00 pm
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Nik_Doof
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 		thumbs up to that

good plan, just do it when the needs be Smile
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PostPosted: Tue May 03, 2005 2:15 pm
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kraed
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 		I agree with the first post in its full too.. except with Wishi's latest addition just above ^ Smile

PostPosted: Tue May 03, 2005 2:32 pm
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Scott
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 		I have 2 amendments to the legislation.

I. - There may be cases where a card has no colour. We will deal with that as it comes, of course. but fFor the record: if a card has no colour, then put whatever else identifies the series in place.

II. - The backs of cards represent a different puzzle entirely. They come in sets of 4 or more, and may have no number. It is unkown at this time how different areas of the mapped city will be identified. Perhaps something like: [PUZZLE/SOLVED] City fFront_Colour - Main fFeature of map.
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PostPosted: Tue May 03, 2005 2:37 pm
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Marduk
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 		I agree with Wishi - card color is a good piece of identifying info too. I'll go update the post.

Scott wrote:
I have 2 amendments to the legislation.

I. - There may be cases where a card has no colour. We will deal with that as it comes, of course. but fFor the record: if a card has no colour, then put whatever else identifies the series in place.


Well it's always going to have some color, even if the color is white, black, gray or some kind of pattern (sheet metal, polka dots, etc.).

Scott wrote:
II. - The backs of cards represent a different puzzle entirely. They come in sets of 4 or more, and may have no number. It is unkown at this time how different areas of the mapped city will be identified. Perhaps something like: [PUZZLE/SOLVED] City fFront_Colour - Main fFeature of map.


Here's a thought... The cards come in sets, right? Defined by color aren't they? We could have seperate threads on the maps based on the color. I don't know enough about the maps to really comment, but I don't think that mixing the puzzle content with the map content is necessarily the best way to go about things.
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PostPosted: Tue May 03, 2005 4:54 pm
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Salkunh
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Marduk wrote:
Again, I'll refer to Salkunh's post that I linked to back above (Salkunh, I'm not trying to pick on you, you rock Smile ) - The post would be completely meaningless to you unless you're looking at the card. I didn't have a card


well i didnt see the point in posting the image again when they had been posted in the parcel thread...figured ppl wud read the parcel thread first...but then i obviously forgot ppl dont read these things do they
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PostPosted: Tue May 03, 2005 4:59 pm
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Marduk
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Salkunh wrote:
well i didnt see the point in posting the image again when they had been posted in the parcel thread...figured ppl wud read the parcel thread first...but then i obviously forgot ppl dont read these things do they


Honestly there wasn't much of a point, but in the future the puzzle card threads need to be self-contained to the point that there should be no reason to go outside the thread for any important information. And no, lots of people don't read through the threads in the right order, or even at all.

p.s. - Sorry for referring to your post in a negative way so much, i'm just trying to make a needed point.
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PostPosted: Tue May 03, 2005 5:04 pm
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Nik_Doof
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Marduk wrote:
Salkunh wrote:
well i didnt see the point in posting the image again when they had been posted in the parcel thread...figured ppl wud read the parcel thread first...but then i obviously forgot ppl dont read these things do they


Honestly there wasn't much of a point, but in the future the puzzle card threads need to be self-contained to the point that there should be no reason to go outside the thread for any important information. And no, lots of people don't read through the threads in the right order, or even at all.

p.s. - Sorry for referring to your post in a negative way so much, i'm just trying to make a needed point.


I've gotta say it was rather much a witch-hunt there when it was the first solved card, also cause we had no real scanned images....and we didnt know about MC's wishes about cards.....its like saying the first post on a ARG puzzle didnt describe it well, we've gotta work out a way to work it first, like you've done.... just dont put such a negitive spin on things! Smile
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PostPosted: Tue May 03, 2005 5:08 pm
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Salkunh
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MardukHonestly wrote:
there wasn't much of a point


so stop the frickin witch hunt
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PostPosted: Tue May 03, 2005 6:52 pm
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yanka
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 		Guys, from now on, could you please take this kind of bickering to PM? Thanks.
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PostPosted: Tue May 03, 2005 7:57 pm
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Marduk
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Salkunh wrote:
MardukHonestly wrote:
there wasn't much of a point


so stop the frickin witch hunt


Umm... I think you've completely missed my point. I'm not bitching and I'm not upset about how things were handled in the past. I am in no way unhappy with how things have gone so far. I'd just like to avoid a huge mess in the future. That is what all of my posts here have been about. And I have no idea what this witch hunt business is all about.
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PostPosted: Tue May 03, 2005 11:18 pm
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