NWNWiki talk:Community Portal/NWN 2 News

NWN2 Custom Content Wiki @ NWN2 News

As announced here, NWN2News has started a NWN2 Custom Content Wiki (registration currently required). I had a brief chat with Rhomal, owner of NWN2News, and a couple other organizers last night, and they were looking to work together. They only want to concentrate on custom content (just like the first NWN wiki) and want to share links. My response was that we're certainly not going to restrict any content of our forthcoming NWN2Wiki, but I'm sure our editors would be happy to link to their content if it was useful. -- Austicke 11:46, 15 Nov 2005 (PST)

Isn't all data entry "custom content"? That is, none of it is copyrighted! I have accounts both places, but I would rather contribute here. However, most of my contributed content (and that which is coming) probably falls into the Custom category. Should I be encouraged to contribute over there? What is the status of the "to NWN2 or not to NWN2" question you posed a few weeks back? Will you be creating a totally new Wiki for NWN2? If so, when will it be up? What is the status of my scripting question (Scripting on front page)? Oh so many questions, I'm all confused.  :) I would like to aim the NWNWiki Rule Set towards NWN2 and will not contribute further here if I have migration work to do later on. So I need need more clarification, please. Thanks. //Brick Thrower 12:13, 28 Nov 2005 (PST)

I was just sharing information with my post about NWN2News. As I said, NWN2Wiki will cover all aspects of the game, so I'll encourage everyone to contribute custom content articles to NWN2Wiki. I'm still not 100% sure how I want to handle NWN2Wiki, but it will certainly be a separate web site. I want to start fresh, but I'm not sure if I'll duplicate the existing wiki (and then delete and/or tag all the existing pages) or start totally fresh. I'll try to resolve it soon and get NWN2Wiki up and running with a couple weeks. I'll take a look at your question on the Main Page discussion. -- Austicke 22:45, 29 Nov 2005 (PST)

As Defunc7 pointed out elsewhere, Rhomal started a topic on the BioWare forums about his wiki. -- Austicke 15:58, 12 Dec 2005 (PST)

Rhomals started another thread (to get it into "general" instead of "graphics") http://nwn2forums.bioware.com/forums/viewtopic.html?topic=462139&forum=95 --Defunc7 10:00, 13 Dec 2005 (PST)

Alec and I had a feeling this was going to happen, its a shame that it has. I do have to say Rhomals/NWN2News has changed their minds from "Custom Content Only". Oh well. -- Pstarky 10:54, 13 Dec 2005 (PST)

• Personally I think that the shoes fit on the other feet! I feel that this Wiki is much more technically inclined. I use two wide screen monitors and NWNWiki.org resizes very nicely, while NWN2News.net forces their column width down to VGA size...ugh! The Wiki pages there are not up to the professionalism that I desire. Lots of color and graphics but little meat. I posted an inquiry there to see what the interest was for scripters and have yet to receive a reply. Browsing the "news" and other posts there leaves me feeling that it's a bit amateurish, while I don't get that feeling here. I do not mean to denegrate their hard work! Rhomal is hot on top of news I can't find myself so I browse there for a different reason. But not for Wiki content. It's kinda like Mars & Venus, you know? Men and women? Facts are here, cosmetics are there. Talking occurs there, Conversations occur here. To each his own. I see no worries like I did originally... I do not think much content will turn up there, and what does will not be properly groomed for longetivity.
  • Try this for example, just my first test. Compare these two side by side: "alignment": NWN2News.net and NWNWiki.org. Now, serious gamers are most likely running widescreens...if you are not, try to widen up your browser display wider than your monitor, and compare the two side by side. Not only is the content obviously different, the format certainly is!
  • Perhaps I was just lucky and pulled the wrong straws out of the bag. Let me try again. I'll just scan both lists (on my two widescreens, heh heh) and HERE! Barbarian. Both have a barbarian entry. Let's see what they look like: NWN2News.net, NWNWiki.org. If you ask me, VGA resolution is for the kids. I'll stick around here when I need content. BTW, reading this entire thread should be mandatory, I feel.
  • // Brick Thrower 15:13, 13 Dec 2005 (PST)
• Currently I'm split between adding to NWN2Wiki to shut some people up and just ignoring this until nearer NWN2's release. I still haven't had a solid reply about if Wiwi's articles can belong to multiple categories (like they can here) or other navigation structures which would tempt me over to them (not to mention I can't stand their default site design). I'm probably gonna try & complete a couple of entries to that Bioware job-competition before I settle on this.--Defunc7 16:10, 13 Dec 2005 (PST)
• The latest BioWare forum topic was locked before I got to add my 2 cents (and the one from yesterday was deleted, so I probably missed some stuff). I did just add a comment to Rhomal's post on his web site though [1]. I wonder if I can post to the forum without fanning the flames.... -- Austicke 17:50, 13 Dec 2005 (PST)
• http://nwn2forums.bioware.com/forums/viewtopic.html?topic=462187&forum=95 has popped up, but it's a bit of a weak advert if it was really trying to be. Afterall, there's a tonne of DnD PnP wikis/srds on the web that can give the same warlock info. I can't quite bother to sink low enough for pointless advertising and propaganda.--Defunc7 18:04, 13 Dec 2005 (PST)
• I made a reply post that mirrors my comments above. //Brick Thrower 21:24, 13 Dec 2005 (PST)
• Just to clarify, I am a bit amazed you feign surpise nwn2news decided to branch out a bit on that wiki when you say "As I said, NWN2Wiki will cover all aspects of the game, so I'll encourage everyone to contribute custom content articles to NWN2Wiki.". You, AFAIAC made that choice for us with that comment. With that cleared up; nwn2news is more then a wiki, hence its apples and oranges saying 'well the formatting of this site is better for a wiki then that one'. Well, of course it is, I could have told you that! :p nwn2news does vastly more then a wiki, thus its a jack of all trades but can not be a master to any. However, you can improve the visuals by choosing a more 'wiki-fied' theme such as the ICE theme. Which oddly enough is similar to this look/feel here. Anyways I wanted to toss that in. -Rhomal
• The phrase "why didn't you get our ball rolling" comes to mind. Afterall, it's not like we weren't going to do it. If it was so pressing there wasn't much stopping us, or other people, from sparking the initial work, that our site is getting now. The only thing I've seen from most of the threads involved is "Rhomal a power-grabbing nutjob" (which kept getting threads locked) and "why are you splitting the community?" (which hasn't, and probably isn't, going to get resolution). I still have issues with the "Wiwi" navigation more than visuals (today clicking alignment, dropped me into a sub-section of companions?!)--Defunc7 19:03, 15 Dec 2005 (PST)
• If you wish to discuss this ill be happy to @ nwn2news, but frankly this is a horrible and (no offense intended) technically backwards mode of communication. Perhaps I am to used to forums and the like. -Rhomal
• Indeed! Austicke, could you possibly set up a PHPBB forum at Forums.nwn2wiki.org (or similar)? I anticipate that the NWNWiki Rule Set will be needing it's own sub-forum, and while I have reason to desire this for the Scripting content coming on line soon, there is no reason for such a forum to exist ONLY for scripting content. Some things are better discussed in threads. I know it's a lot of work but I am willing to assist as I am able. Thanks for your consideration! // Brick Thrower 21:13, 15 Dec 2005 (PST)
• How 'bout a NWN guild forum at Bioware's forums. I'm guessing most people involved here go there also, though I guess stuff like "my topics" and search function being missing from the guild forums would annoy some people.--Defunc7 08:23, 16 Dec 2005 (PST)
• I use a BioWare guild forum for my Bastions of War server. The lack of features is very annoying. The only reason I haven't moved the BoW forum off their site is because it's good promotion to be at the top of BioWare's Most Active Guilds list. If we wanted a forum for our wikis, I'd setup a phpBB forum. (I setup a BoW forum as a test [2], and it's a nice piece of software.) I'm not sure we actually need a forum, but it'd be easy to do if we decide we want one. -- Austicke 11:17, 16 Dec 2005 (PST)
• Someone upset with Rhomal is apparently spamming his web site [3]. It's hard to imagine its one of our editors, but my name and our wikis have been pulled into it. I posted a message expressing my disapproval for such actions. -- Austicke 12:05, 17 Dec 2005 (PST)
• Apparently Rhomal had a meeting last night [4], and they decided to change the wiki software they use [5].
• MokahTGS was nice enough to post about NWN2Wiki on the BioWare forum. -- Austicke 05:19, 20 Dec 2005 (PST)
• Can I please ask everyone to be cordial on BioWare's forums to Rhomal and his endeavors. I started another topic about NWN2Wiki:Screenshots yesterday, but it's apparently been deleted like a bunch of other topics because it descended into flames. I'm assuming this is why Rhomal sent me a threatening message demanding I get "my editors" under control. I know some people aren't happy with the way Rhomal is conducting himself, but it's frustrating that we can't communicate on the BioWare forums without it being deleted or locked. I very much appreciate all the support and loyalty people have shown NWNWiki, but I think we need some restraint. Thanks. -- Austicke 06:46, 21 Dec 2005 (PST)

• Erm, which of "our/your editors" are going out of control? I know I can unintentionally come across as a bit random at times, but I haven't really seen anyone I recognise as a contributer here going nuts on a rhomal-bash at Bioware's.--Defunc7 10:30, 21 Dec 2005 (PST)
• Rhomal has posted his holiday wish. -- Austicke 11:14, 21 Dec 2005 (PST)
• I know I made a comment about "If I were being silly", but I think I can safely say "If he were being maybe slightly paranoid" or something. Perhaps I need to read their forums more, or catch those Bioware threads before they get "disappeared" as I'm obviously missing all this back-biting. Hell, even if theirs becomes super awesome, I'll be using our wiki as my own personal reference documentation of choice since "I made this" (along with others) so I know how it's arranged & how I can quickly find stuff. :D --Defunc7 11:55, 21 Dec 2005 (PST)

NWN2s' 1st draw

• Rhomals changed his signature from "NWN 2 Wiki" to "The first NWN 2 Wiki" (probably as a reaction to other people adding our NWN2Wiki to their sigs). The question is, is it true that his was "first"? ;) --Defunc7 15:27, 20 Dec 2005 (PST)
  • Well, it's kind of a dumb argument. He certainly loaded the software for his wiki first -- early November I think. I got NWN2Wiki up and running on 9 December. However, as you can see from the whois record, I registered the nwn2wiki.org domain name on 20 Jun 2005. The domain pointed to this wiki before December, and we've had some NWN2 content here for months. *shrug* -- Austicke 15:42, 20 Dec 2005 (PST)
  • Heh! Even after his rant about "Change is coming" now he wants to be the first to claim his flag was in the ground first? That's a bit of a double-standard! He should change it to "The first NWN 2 Wiki, version 2" after I made them realize how badly their wiki software blows cheese. BTW, by count of article entries, NWN2Wiki.org just took the lead! Yay! Go team go! // Brick Thrower 19:24, 20 Dec 2005 (PST)
    • Well, he took your criticisms to heart, BT, because he's now switched wiki software [6] to Dokuwiki. -- Austicke 19:30, 20 Dec 2005 (PST)
• It navigates even worse as far as I can tell. I can just about navigate via the index. I can't see any form of categories. Even "smite evil" page has no reference, either in text or "related pages" info, to Paladins. /:)

Rhomal's sig now says "Community NWN 2 Wiki", which seems to imply we're not the community ;) hehe, it's no wonder easily-offended people go nuts sometimes. It's hard to make up something for a sig for his site which won't be confused with our wiki other than "NWN2News Wiki, not the one by that NWN1Wiki lot".--Defunc7 (being silly) 12:32, 21 Dec 2005 (PST)

It's good to see Rhomal has a sense of humor. Here's his latest sig. -- Austicke 09:07, 23 Dec 2005 (PST)

• that end bit should really link to us ;) --Defunc7 12:26, 23 Dec 2005 (PST)
• Awww, he's back to calling himself the "Community NWN2 wiki"--Defunc7 08:11, 26 December 2005 (PST)
• Rhomal has called us "stalkers" and "creepy." I can't imagine why.... :) -- Alec Usticke 11:01, 26 December 2005 (PST)
• I can add so much fuel to the fire, but that would be unbecoming of me. ;) --ThriKreen 09:51, 29 December 2005 (PST)

NWN2s' non-register user editting

• Rhomal likes to get his shots in, but this one about anonymous wiki editing is pretty funny. Hehe. -- Austicke 10:33, 20 Dec 2005 (PST)

• The main thing I noticed was the sidebar note stating that, "due to a vulgar, female-insulting" etc spammer, they will not accept registrations from "free" email accounts (Um, Yahoo? AIM? Most pay webmail account services also offer a free version...hotmail anyone? How will they tell the difference?) AND they will be manually approving all registrations. I think that, unfortunately for them, this will pretty much limit their wiki/news/forum/whatever else it is to a selected few elite members (which, I suspect, is what they want). I thought their site looked pretty good, if narrow in format. Liked the cartoon, also. OTOH MediaWiki also allows reverts. The solution to unauthorized malicious edits is a good disclaimer and a good team of sysops. Here's to ours! {raises drink} Klingon Mage 08:08, 21 Dec 2005 (PST)
• I think any kind of sign up is likely to block those a bit squimish about making accounts all over the place. I started doing anon edits on NWNWiki til I realised I wanted some minor credit & a kinda pride for my additions. I've only got 5 or 6 forum accounts (NWNWiki 1&2, Bioware's (only joined initially for heavy scripting help), 1 Naruto & 1 Bleach scanslation site, a computer tech/graphic manipulation site), add hotmail (my only email outside my ISP-based email) and a free web-host it's still pretty minimal compared to the number of sites I visit without registering (when hunting for info, dling *cough*pron*cough*, reading comics, CG forums etc).--Defunc7 11:55, 21 Dec 2005 (PST)
• (Added by Bri) - The restrictions cited above are for the website in general, not specificly the wiki. They were having trouble with a specific person who kept returning with new accounts. At any rate, the restrictions are temporary, to my knowlege.

Rhomal's fan blog

• Rhomal has labeled this page his fan blog [7]. Is there any irony in me posting this? :) -- Alec Usticke 16:11, 28 December 2005 (PST)

• -- Well, as soon as he settles on a wiki sig that isn't ambiguous with ours I'll stop commenting on it. Then again, I do just pop by their wiki to see if they've actually had updates (I'm not sure if I'm just not getting proper nav for not signing in, or if they really don't have many articles).

Anyway, I can only hope he knows we're not really his fan club, so he doesn't get an even bigger head (already swollen by prolonged exposure to ex-moderator powers), though it'd be funny if he got stuck going through doorways. ;) --Defunc7 21:21, 28 December 2005 (PST)

• "To Defunc7, my apologizes if the humor/sarcasm as well as the undertone ribbing & point I made went over your head. If you thought I was serious you really need to google “emoticon”. I would suggest however you grow up and stop with the “us” v.s. “them” garbage and negative attitude. It's not a real competition in the eyes of NWN 2 News or its staff, and you need realize that. We can both offer a service to the community without it being a insult to the other. Now if you’ll excuse me apparently I need to see if my head will fix though my door."

Special mention of me :p Of course I can read emotes, but I find the ambiguity of not using them more fun, along with surrealty. Obviously it's ironic when someone trys to explain they were being humourous etc when they've missed the humour in a reply comment. Sometimes I might be too subtle for my own good, but then sometimes u can't have 100% clarity ;P

I guess some people take me too seriously, not usually advisable given that this isn't my job.--Defunc7 12:29, 29 December 2005 (PST)

Rhomal news

Rhomal -- who is now using the name Maximillian_Strauss -- announced that BioWare has banned him from their forums [8] -- at least temporarily. -- Alec Usticke 19:03, 13 January 2006 (PST)

Erm, isn't using a 2nd account (i.e. going in while under ban as Rhomal) to bypass bans going to get him a perma-ban? I'm pretty sure those are the bioware forum rules. I kept getting him confused with Maximus from NWVault too. It's still kinda funny, banned from forum of official game his site is a fan-site of.--Defunc7 06:15, 14 January 2006 (PST)

Rhomal (now Strauss) again posted about his name change [9]. -- Alec Usticke 09:22, 16 January 2006 (PST)

Well, I'm guessing the subtle "certain people at NWNWiki" is probably someone on this page (maybe even me). I said the whole "2nd acc = ban" in direct reference to "While I could just login as 'Rhomal' I don't see the point. So you will not see me posting there for a week, FYI." in the previous 2News post. As far as I understand it there's nothing againist changing to a 2nd account, but I do know it's perma-ban offense to use a 2nd acc to circumvent a temp-ban. As far as I knew, Rhomal was not breaking that rule since he was only using "strauss" at the time and "Rhomal" wasn't banned, neither did he use "rhomal" when strauss had been banned. I assumed he did not know of the perma-ban rule since he said he could just use "rhomal", nor did I believe he would take it as a "personal attack" in any form to state it. I've looked at the thread that got him banned, I certainly would say the last few posts near the end weren't exactly "debate". I can only assume I'm not "certain people" since he hasn't seen fit to contact me personally (either here, or via Bioware's IM setup) with any issues he sees as attacks. Minor point: I don't read NWN2News' forums, nor am I registered there. I do visit there when people link to it from here. --Defunc7 10:13, 16 January 2006 (PST)

Our panties

Rhomal (now Strauss) says that "the nwnwiki.org community got their panties in a bunch" [10]. -- Alec Usticke 15:08, 12 February 2006 (PST)

I happen to wear under-pants not panties (or knickers). He really needs to let it go, every time he brings up these "conspiracy" sounding rivalries it looks either over-defensively paranoid or backtracking. Hell, he keeps quoting how he wants "healthy competition" then gets aggresive if we act competitively, or even make mild comments. --Defunc7 00:50, 13 February 2006 (PST)

Rhomal whines that NWNWiki doesn't give credit: "I hope you gave credit to the creater if the slow-mo ver and where you got it from. I notice thats a constant issue (giving credit) with your wiki." He's referring to this file. -- Alec Usticke 11:00, 20 February 2006 (PST)

I await the day where he descends to criticising spelling and grammar. It's funny, 'cause I, along with others, have accused him of knicking those early preview shots without giving proper credit. /:) --Defunc7 13:49, 20 February 2006 (PST)