Sandy's Soapbox
I love Wikipedia, it fights with Google for 'sites I first check to find something out'. It's a great place to start research, though the perils of Wikitruth do mean it's not the endpoint for research. But wikis are not the be-all end-all of communication. There are some areas where they excel, and *gasp* some where they do not. In particular, wikis require a critical mass of creators to really gel and have utility and, basically, be anything more than a footnote.
One area that is about to be Wikified is... wait, this is not yet publically released. Let me look around.
[crickets: *chirp* *chirp*]
Hmm. Methinks I need more readers.
Interactive Fiction
Okay, my publishing cohort Tony has started a secret indy side project. He's built a Wiki specifically to allow collaboration in creating Pick-Your-Fate (Choose-Your-Own-Adventure, Pick-A-Path, Interactive Fiction, et cetera) adventures.
It's funny he did this, because independently I wrote up the spec for a collaborative interactive fiction site, using databases and objects and a lot of MUD-like concepts for reuse of items. And then I pushed it to the side, because it was a lot of programming work and I wasn't sure enough people wanted interactive fiction to make it gel.
It never occurred to me to just use a Wiki. *sigh* Too much thinking somedays. Anyway, Tony just initiated it and announced it to industry folks. Since readers of this column tend to be industry or industry-curious, I'm mentioning this project here as well. It's the Interactive Fiction Project at editthis.info/technomancer.
As 'editthis.info' was new to me, I checked them out. They're a wiki hosting, so you can make your own wiki about anything. Very neat! And one of the wikis on their site is... Choose Your Own Adventure. Also in startup mode.
Hmm... okay, this means two people got the idea to use a Wiki for interactive fiction, while I was laboring over object designs and relational methods. This is getting embarrassing.
I informed Tony, and he still wants to get industry people in to do themed RPG works, whereas theirs seems more focused on genre and fan fiction. So his project will continue. I suppose the difference is theirs seems to be interactive fiction, while the Tony (as a gamer) aims to be interactive fiction.
Anyway, I'll be at Tony's, because he was the first to come up with the smarter way to do the concept I spent too much time on months ago. I'm nothing if not dim yet loyal.
Wiki Merge Digression
Is there such a think as WikiMerge, where dueling wikis can be reconcilled? If not, put me down as inventor of the term. Wikis fork all the time, but I haven't yet seen a case where folks merge content and reduce the number of Wikis out there.
Oh, wait, I forgot-- Wiki Fever. Everyone wants a wiki!
Education
Meanwhile, GAMA has Wiki Fever. Their September 2006 newsletter announced:
- GAMA is developing a wiki for educators, which they tell us that they are very excited about. The wiki will crosslink information about educational game products available with their subjects, appropriate ages, and state standards for education. This project is still in the developmental stages, but we'll be calling on our members soon for more detailed information about their products so we can create a wiki page for each product and each publisher.
So there are now umpteen mailing lists about gaming and education, not to mention the excellent Kids-RPG email list and now a Wiki. I love the wealth of resources, but I also find it daunting, too much to track.
Worse, in my hat as 'education and public outreach astronomer', the general trend is away from "informal education". My friends who teach note that so-called "hobby teaching"-- teaching anything except the test-- is actively discouraged by many administrations.
So we're in a golden age of information and collaboration, at a time when the resources and policy are focusing away from using all the great information and products that we're making. Ironically, I think the GAMA wiki (which seems to be aiming to make a catalog for teachers) is a good thing. It'll be a fairly central repository for the few beleagured educators who want such things.
That's the plus side of Wiki Fever. They're easy to make, don't require regular updates, and have good library and archival value. So just like having a large reference library, having lots of niche wikis-- some competing, some standing alone-- is a good thing.
Though I still think Wiki Merging would be handy. Is there meta-wiki software out there, that acts as a Wiki interface to multiple sites? If anyone knows of it, please email me.
Good Article Status
Rounding up this trilogy of Wiki terror, in my publishing hat we just put out a press release about how our small press company got promoted to 'Good Article Status'. I'm sticking a draft of the release here, in a tinier font, for reference, then I'll talk about how an article gets promoted.
On Sept. 28, 2006, Technomancer Press, LLC made minor history by becoming the first game publisher to have its Wikipedia article awarded Good Article status, under the Wikipedia Guideline for Good Article Nomination and Selection. Yoann Lussier of Montréal promoted the article after careful review, noting the Technomancer Press listing was "broad, straight-forward and well-prosed. Much tighter, much nicer and more coverage of the topic [than other RPG articles].
"I was thrilled to see our article promoted," said Technomancer Press CEO Tony Hellmann. "Wikipedia is a great resource, and we're very happy to be a part of it. Adds staffer Sandy Antunes, "neutral bias information sites like Wikipedia are an excellent way for small press publishers like us to have equal-- or, for today, higher-- standing than the WotCs and such."
Mr. Hellmann adds, "next I'd like to see the article 'Role Playing Game' become a Wikipedia Featured Article and be on the front page when you log in. That will be good for the entire industry." Technomancer Press is a publisher of inexpensive old-school, indie, and RPG theory print books, with the motto 'High adventure, low prices', available from the Studio 2 Publishing fulfillment house and direct at www.technomancer-press.com.
Yoann Lussier, the editor who promoted the article, told us his method. He has thousands of Wikipedia edits and contributions to his credit, and has promoted and failed many Good Article nominees. He writes, "I open a tab (I use Opera or Firefox) with the article's page...and a tab with the [Wikipedia Good Article] criteria which will be copied to a notepad to crosscheck the criterion 1-by-1. First, I go for the easy stuff ... images, lead section, references and then I read the article at least 2-3 times and give my idea the most objectively I could."
So there, the secret to being promoted is "read their criteria, then fulfill it".
Hey, I can do that! My future in the age NewMediaWWW2.1++ is secure!
Even with wiki fever going on, it seems the basic rules of craft still apply. Avoid duplication, beware information overload, and remember that a good way to get attention is to pay attention.
Until next month,
Sandy 'Wiki' Antunes
sandy@rpg.net
[This year RPGnet started its own Wiki at wiki.rpg.net -ed.
