New Board Discussion (Hard Theory, Creative Commons), A community discussion Options

[Titanhex]

I mentioned to a few of other moderators that there was a slight issue between the GTD and the other boards.

Design is soft sometimes, like you see in GTD. It's ideas floating around in our head. It's the thought of what makes boss battles interesting, character writing, or game re-playability. But then you start putting these ideas into your game and it becomes Hard Design. Creating character stats, making boss AI, and or deciding what actions make 100% completion in a game with multiple choices.

That's just the start of hard data. Numbers, diagrams, layouts, and even maps. Things you can back by pictures and formulas often times tied to specific games. Hard Design is your efforts trying to design levels, character stats, and a working battle system for in the context of your game.

My idea was to create a subforum in GUC that discusses these ideas. A Hard Theory board. You can post pictures of mapping for feedback, talk about systems you'll be using in your game and provide numbers and detailed workings of it instead of just vague general thoughts.

The forum will have some guidelines though. You have to provide more than a soft general idea. You should hard info, like screenshots, pictures, drawn layouts, or real numbers to work with. Your idea should be pretty solid when it's posted for discussion. Discussions such as balance, aesthetics, and function will take place here. It's about asking how two systems may work together, or if the map you drew on paper or created in an editor looks functional as well as pleasing. Also consider it for discussion of level design, minigame design, monster designs, character designs, etc. The discussion can even be specific to an engine you're using, so long as it's not questions on how to use the engine itself.

What do you all think of this new board?

Would it be helpful to you?
If so how helpful?

Would you use it?

Would you visit it and check it out from time to time?

Do you understand how it works?
If so tell me how you think it works and what you would post in it?