New Wiki site for character builds

capmarvel · Post by **capmarvel** » Mon Jun 20, 2011 7:54 pm

I've started a new wiki site to post and share character builds.

http://bashrpg.wikispaces.com/

My friends and I wanted a wiki because:

1) I'm starting to learn about wikis at work and thought this was a good platform to teach myself (and MUCH more interesting than work)
2) we like the collaborative nature of wikis
3) we like that you don't have to join to participate

Feel free to contribute to the site - and note that as with all wikis, it is a "work in progress" and will be better the more people that get involved.

Also note that the builds were collected from various people and of course we don't consider them "gospel" by any means. Some of the builds are not even completed yet (such as the "Other Published" section).

I hope you find the site useful and feel free to provide feedback...and remember to "grade on a curve" as I'm a wiki rookie.

Thanks!

Saker · Post by **Saker** » Mon Jun 20, 2011 7:58 pm

Kev already created one. PM to join forces.

cheers

Dragonfly · Post by **Dragonfly** » Mon Jun 20, 2011 8:49 pm

Cool stuff!

I just created a ton of Marvel characters that I'm about to post over in the builds section. Unfortunately, they are not in a format that will easily translate to wiki, I think. Let me know if I'm wrong about that.

Anyway, my design philosophy is very different, as I tried to be more detailed and specific about modeling the characters. That's not to say that my work is any better or more accurate. It's just that the purpose of the write-ups was to be more robust and inclusive. As a consequence, some of the point totals are through the roof (but some are not).

I really like the design choices made on the write-ups on the new wiki. I like alot of things, but what they help me with the most are Mental Malfunctions, which I've struggled with (mostly because I've been so focused on learning other aspects of the system, that I haven't given Mental Malfunctions as much thought as I should). These write-ups give me great ideas and tips. Looking atht eWeaknesses also makes me realize that I forgot a few in my work. I hope you don't mind me stealing some of these ideas for any revision work that I might do.

Anyway, very nice work. Let me know what I'd need to do to include my write-ups on either wiki (yours or kev's) if that's something you'd be interested in.

Best,

Dragonfly

kevperrine · Post by **kevperrine** » Tue Jun 21, 2011 1:38 am

Saker wrote:Kev already created one. PM to join forces.

cheers

yup.... I tried. No one really was into it at the time. Or not many know how to make/use a Wiki.

I used Google Sites.
https://sites.google.com/site/bashupbuilds/

I chose Google Sites because (for me) they've been the most advanced, quick to update, easy to use, and most modifiable Wiki-Farm out there. Plus... it's GOOGLE, so they'll be around FOR-EV-AR... likely.

I'm open to sharing that site with anyone, including opening OWNERSHIP to anyone interested in pumping up the site. You can do a great great deal of customization for look. I was trying to get "content" up before focusing on the look. But that can be revisited.

Really... all I needed was support and energy to get it rolling. Kinda the same way I got the basics up on Wikipedia for a BASH! RPG article. Sadly. No one else (that mentioned or looked at the thread here on the forums) really helped to get/give info. So, the basics are there but nothing extra.

I wish you luck though.
Ask if you want some collaboration.

-kev-

Post by **BASHMAN** » Tue Jun 21, 2011 2:35 am

Saker wrote:Kev already created one. PM to join forces.

cheers

That was a very nice wiki. The design was very cool looking. But there weren't any builds on it. This one I see like... there must be a hundred or more. However, it would probably simply be a matter of copying and pasting to have both wikis having the same number of builds. All that would matter is people having the time & inclination to do it.

Anyway, both are fan-sites. Because of that, neither one can be "official". If they both want to have separate wikis or work together on one, that is totally their call. Basic Action Games has no say in it.

capmarvel · Post by **capmarvel** » Tue Jun 21, 2011 4:44 pm

My point in building our wiki was to get the builds we had collected (and are making) into a "central location". I wasn't aware of the other wiki at the time and didn't mean to "step on anyone's toes".

BASH is the first RPG in a long while to spark my interest enough to actually play the game (I've recently looked at Shadowrun, Novus, Runequest, etc., etc) . It looks like a solid and fun system and I'm hoping to promote it as best I can amongst my local friends and not-so-local friends.

To that end I'm not sure what the best approach for BASH is - is it better to have "one wiki to rule them all" or multiple wikis that share data and point to each other? Will it confuse fans and potential fans if they have to go 5 places for info? Or is it "more sites means more potential hits"?

I do enjoy working on my wiki, but again, I hope to help BASH in the best way possible and will work with anyone to that end. I really like the system and believe it has a lot of potential to grow - so I by no means want to do any internal conflicts to hinder the game.

AslanC · Post by **AslanC** » Wed Jun 22, 2011 1:29 am

Love it!

Just needs more images

Cheers!

capmarvel · Post by **capmarvel** » Wed Jun 22, 2011 5:03 pm

Actually, we're not sure how the copyright rules work with posting images on the site. For example, any picture of the Thing would be from a copy of something we found on the internet, or scanned in. Since it would be a copy of an image copyrighted by Marvel, we chose at this time put any pictures on.

If anyone knows the legalities of this please let me know.

Also, while I agree that Google probably isn't going away anytime soon, I actually found wikispaces easier to use after I got the hang of it - also wikispaces has a "include page list" widget which made it very easy to organize pages (make a new page, give it a tag, it will automatically appear on the "parent" page). On the other hand, Google will automatically make columns where wikispaces makes you jump thru hoops to do it (near as I've found).

And I must give credit to others for 99.999% of the builds - I'm the resident geek and not the BASH expert (yet).

As far as the wiki goes, I personally don't want do work in multiple places or have multiple people doing the same work ...so not yet sure what approach is best - will wait to get more feedback.

Thanks!

Dragonfly · Post by **Dragonfly** » Wed Jun 22, 2011 5:30 pm

Hey capmarvel,

Personally, I love the approaches used at the following:

The Great Net Book of Real Heroes
http://www.sysabend.org/champions/gnborh/

Classic Marvel Forever (write-up page)
http://www.classicmarvelforever.com/cast_list/all.htm

The Great Net Book of Real Heroes (which is a HERO System/Champions build site) is cool because it provides for builds by multiple creators. It's always neat to see how different people build the same characters, and it's VERY handy to have those builds side by side on the same page.

Classic Marvel Forever is cool because its so complete AND because of all the images. Again - a very cool and neat resource. I'd love the BASH site to combine both qualities. I don't, however, know anything about the legalities involved and how they get around them. I suspect that it's not a big issue, though, because NONE of this is for profit. At most, I imagine that we MIGHT get requests to take stuff down, but I suspect even that won't happen.

Still, I'm not a lawyer. I don't even play one in the movies, and I haven't played one at the table-top since 1988, when I made a Daredevil knock-off for a Champions game.

Whatever the case, I'd love to contribute what I can. Now's the time for me too! I wanted to contribute to Kev's excellent site, but I'm a teacher and was REALLY busy at the time AND I'm technologically limited, so I didn't even know how to go about posting a write-up.

Best,

Dragonfly

capmarvel · Post by **capmarvel** » Wed Jun 22, 2011 6:16 pm

Dragonfly, thanks for those site examples!

For now I've added a "Complete List of Builds" which strangely enough is all the builds on one page.

capmarvel · Post by **capmarvel** » Wed Jun 22, 2011 6:34 pm

And, just added the "Builds by Contributor" tagging.

Note since I'm the only one that has posted, all of the builds are currently tagged with "capmarvel".....and I must again point out that I am the one that posted them but did not make many of them.

Plus...as an added bonus before I get back to the "real world" tonight...check out the entry for the Thing for those of you demanding artwork.

kevperrine · Post by **kevperrine** » Wed Jun 22, 2011 7:28 pm

capmarvel wrote: As far as the wiki goes, I personally don't want do work in multiple places or have multiple people doing the same work ...so not yet sure what approach is best - will wait to get more feedback.

Couple thoughts for you....

First. I don't think you need to concern yourself with legality of posting an image with your character write-up. Dozens of forums from other games do it all the time. They don't harm or threaten anything, so they're tolerated, if not enjoyed by the companies. Never having a problem. I would post images and not worry about it - being completely fan created.

Second. I don't mind combining efforts into one site. In fact I suggest it a great deal. What I'd ask is... which site (and which wiki farm) could be better to support what BASH! communitycan use best?
The "Wikispaces" you're using or the Google Sites I've posted up on. Which will have support and benefits us as a gang of fans most?

Do they (either) allow multiple contributors? How does posting work?
Are you even interested in OTHER fans posting their own characters and conversions to *your* wiki site? Or are you hoping to make a community wiki?

My original idea was to have a wiki site that everyone could make their own version of any character they want and have a variety of different styles of builds even for the same character.
For Example:

Superman - 1939 version [28 pts] (by capmarvel)
Superman - movie version [32 pts] (by urbwar)
Superman - planet busting version [55 pts] (by Saker)
Superman - Byrne reboot version [30 pts] (by kev)

etc... etc... All under a DC Comics page/link.
You can see me trying to set this up on the wiki I was making.

Anyway.
I'm up to collaborating to your site. I'm also up to having you (and anyone) jump to the site I made. Copy/Pasting alot of the fan works already out their (with permission) to either site's choice.

I think that's be the way to go.
All the collaborators need is access to all the functions of the site. I know with the one I created, I can make it open to everyone, and make certain folks interested in updating the site alot actual shared "owners" so you can control ANYTHING on the site. I can also update the look of the site with that access to make it more stylish.

thoughts?
-kev-

capmarvel · Post by **capmarvel** » Wed Jun 22, 2011 7:55 pm

I just approved the first member to "my" wiki (to someone named El_Diablo7.....though I did back everything up first

).

The intent was to have a central repository of all builds....not just "mine".

I look forward to seeing various version of characters as no one's version is "gospel" (did you know that Superman in the late 30's/early 40's could not fly and even killed criminals on occasion?).

And again, I'm trying to help BASH as much as I can. Someone just gave me yet another option for a possibility for a wiki which may (or may not) confuse things further.

So, obviously several people have the same hopes for a great BASH wiki ....it just may end up several wikis linked together.

If we're voting here, I'd vote for wikispaces, but obviously it's because I know it best and find the tools a little more powerful for what I was trying to do. I'm waiting to get more info on the other option I just heard about, but don't want to get things too confusing for anyone.

capmarvel · Post by **capmarvel** » Mon Jun 27, 2011 10:55 am

fyi- I've added a "Request for Builds" section and continue to add artwork when I have time/when I feel like it.

A few members have joined the wiki this past week.

capmarvel · Post by **capmarvel** » Mon Jun 27, 2011 11:42 am

As an experiment, I posted one of Dragonfly's builds onto the wiki (Thor).

This was just to show that pre-made builds can easily be posted there.

I'll get with Dragonfly to see if they want me to remove the test build.