Landing page copy

This is what we show on the landing page. I don't think we're promoting ourselves well here.

I'm not a copywriter (and I admire the skill of professional copywriters), but I think we can give it a go!

What do I think are our best three features?
* Community
* Indie RPGs
* Richer gaming (including char sheet integration for those who like Avrae)

Or maybe before we narrow it down we should list all our benefits and then try to boil it down and distil it to three?

This is too many words (and not enough spellcheck). Show don't tell - let's include some links to the latest public posts (although we might have to filter that list somehow - or else it'll be Council of Elrond posts too, which will be less than informative).

... or maybe we use quotes from community members?



(I couldn't be bothered to style this up properly)

Agreed on 'Community', but how does one post a emblem to show that? People have to first dig in before they can learn the truth. We can not open the door for them, we can only show them the door?

'Indie RPGs' are not what we are known for, and the initial presentation gives the opposite impression. Many have told me they were turned off from GP by the push for official character sheets and the apparent focus on big name games that comes with the sheets and search by game franchise. That is less now than it was a few years ago, but is still the impression out there, you will still hear people being sent elsewhere for 'more indie focused sites'.

Not offering solutions here, just observations. :(

That’s a great observation! Firstly, we should make sure that we are what we say we are. We’ve tried to beef up custom game support (although I still hate the name "custom") through overriding the name, custom dice highlighting, and improved layout and functionality of custom char sheets. We have the community supplied templates, but that’s a bit of a faff.

I want everyone who buys an indie rpg to know that they can find a game on GP - and even resources (using our new shared GM sheets) to help run that game.

We need to do more and then celebrate it.

But I’m at fault here too. I don’t play these games. I bought the expanse rules hoping to expand my horizons, but never even read them.

That's what the copy should be, saying that whether you're playing the world's most popular RPG, or a brand new small press game you've just bought, you'll find the tools you need to run a great game online.

I have a problem with this sort of statement. People should not feel any pressure to play games they are not interested in. Being 'indie' does not make one better (as, unfortunately, many toxic members of the 'indie community' want to imply).

While I encourage people to branch out and try other games, I do so with the express intention of helping they play the games they do like better. There is benefit in reading other systems even if you don't play them, and even if you don't intend to play them.

Anyway, enough preaching.

The custom sheet and the extra support the custom sheet is getting go a long way to equality. But this discussion is about appearance and first impressions (and I think being able to see the number of 'custom' games being run might be good enough?) not about functionality.

I have always found that custom sheets serve me better than system-specific sheets (unless they are 'just perfect'). I remember running Monster of the Week on Roll20 before they had a sheet for it, so I made some simple macros to handle the basics and we 'got by'. Then they added a sheet, we transitioned over to it, and players started complaining about being limited (even though the macros were still there), we never quite went back, but the existence of a sheet spoiled the game. (And then there are sheets like the Ironsworn one which are just brilliant and make playing a breeze.)

How about?

More than 5e
Whether you're playing the world's most popular RPG, or a brand new small press game you've just bought, we have the tools to run a great game.

Fifth edition of what?

Exactly!

Exactly!

I agree with you as a player - I meant as someone who helps develop the site, it would be better for GP if I played more types of game.

Bowl and Qrallaq tried to keep me on the straight and narrow when this was in discord. e.g. dice highlighting was going to be 5e only (because how would I know what other games need?).

You've always been open to listening, and that's better than knowing everything already. Adding the paired-dice result for AGE had been awesome. Having them jump right out when there is a pair rolled in 3d6 has made noticing the opportunity for stunts so much easier.

If you're ever in the mood for a quickie demo Expanse game, let me know. I know we could find a solid crew to wreak havoc in the belt.

True enough. There are all sorts of benefits to playing more games. :)
They need the ability to color based on the total, that is what they still need. :)

maybe: {"total":10,"highlight":"success"}

They could benefit from ranges rather than single numbers, but that is just convenience since the range of ranges is easy enough to represent discretely.

The 'success' clause could stand to be a color code --many assume it is-- but then run into the 'colors don't display the same' issues.

Sound gut bosmang. Im play beltalowda, ke?

Which game uses total? Do you have some examples?

Most of them? Which is why the dice roller does not even have an option to not total the dice (which would be nice for the few that don't use the total). They don't all have useful, defined total thresholds, though.

PbtA does have clearly defined breakpoints of '6 or less', '7-9', and '10 and more', with a sometimes '12 or more' category.

There are others, but I can not think of them right now. Or they use strange dice like Fate with the Ladder, or FFG Star Wars, but already has its coloring built in.

Getting back to:
Aside from "which 5e?", I personally hate the tagline "world's most popular rpg". It might be true but it sounds so pompous and like it's better than other games. I can't stop them from using it but I wouldn't want to use it here 😄

Okay. Can you try and write some copy then? I don’t mind writing the code, but surely y’all can help me out with writing some English?