The "Review my Campaign" thread

191012141535

Comments

  • darkanglmarine
    darkanglmarine
    Posts: 34
    Two other quick comments on Murphoid:

    BTW, I enjoyed reading your Adventure Log...great stuff in there, well detailed.
    Second, I liked how you broke down loot and party loot at the end of the Adventure Log. However, that reminded me that you had a great set-up under the Items menu for that , and it was empty...

    Darkanglmarine
    "The Watchtowers of Shadowgate Depths":http://www.obsidianportal.com/campaigns/the-watchtowers-of-shadowgate-depths
  • darkanglmarine
    darkanglmarine
    Posts: 34
    sorry...it's late, my spelling is terrible, and my fingers are working faster than my hands.... your "site" has soem great things going for it already.... "site" is the correct word I was trying to use...not sight. and I liked how you broke down "XP" and party loot at the end of the Adventure Log. Bed Time! Only Twiggyleaf is crazy enough to be up at this hour! 8)

    Darkanglmarine
    "The Watchtowers of Shadowgate Depths":http://www.obsidianportal.com/campaigns/the-watchtowers-of-shadowgate-depths
  • Lord_AO
    Lord_AO
    Posts: 38
    I wanted to give a shout out and thanks to everyone who took the time to review my portal. (Sounds kinda dirty) But again thanks! And thanks for all the great advice!

    Lord AO
    "Deepest Darkness":http://www.obsidianportal.com/campaigns/deepest-darkness
  • saethone
    saethone
    Posts: 153
    Lord_AO, your campaign looks really good but I have a couple of recommendations.

    The spiderweb background is kind of small, so the repetitive of it stands out quite a bit. You may want to try to find a larger web to use instead.

    Second, on your adventure logs, I'd recommend formatting the image locations a bit - using the "float" style tag or at least centering them on the page.
  • Lord_AO
    Lord_AO
    Posts: 38
    Rgr on the spiderweb. I'll try to make one tonight.

    Im a noob with style tag? Float or centering is above my head. lol I'm guessing you talking about the images IN the logs themselves? I'm not really sure how to float vs have them align to the left when I use the 'picture' button in the edit screen. =(

    Also did anyone see my coolio navigation bar and how it goes across all pages! w0ot. lol (thx Craig)

    Lord AO
    "Deepest Darkness":http://www.obsidianportal.com/campaigns/deepest-darkness
  • saethone
    saethone
    Posts: 153
    well, to center it you can just surround it with html center tags (< c e n t e r > image here < / c e n t e r > without the spaces)

    for the larger images that would be enough
  • Lord_AO
    Lord_AO
    Posts: 38
    OMG, saethone...really, its that easy!!!? Ack, I'm such a noob. lol All my friends have been acting like it's such a task to do it and would have to schedule time to teach me...HA! Thank you!
  • saethone
    saethone
    Posts: 153
    hah. well, centering it is simple enough. floating images is a bit more complex because you need to use css to do it
  • Mercutio361
    Mercutio361
    Posts: 16
    I'd like some feedback if someone doesn't mind. My campaign is at
    http://www.obsidianportal.com/campaigns/legends-of-azebron

    I'm really just getting it started for the most part, and am about to reformat the adventure logs (The idea is to boil the current ones down to a single post then start from there).

    Any feedback and help would be appreciated.
  • Kallak
    Kallak
    Posts: 1,090
    @ Mercutio361

    I started browsing your campaign intent on doing a review, but after looking it over, I have decided that there simply isn't enough there to actually justify a review as of yet. Yes, I could give my opinion about the characters, or the individual adventure log entries (which you say are going to be condensed into one anyway), but this is hardly a "review" as much as it is "what I think of your player characters and game opening". Build up a bit more and then come back at it.

    Having said that, I offer the following advice for building up your site:

    - Focus on usability as much as style: A well styled site that is impossible to navigate or find things is just as horrible as one that is functionally sound but with no content or imagery. Get a solid navigational theme sorted out as quickly as possible and the content will be all the more powerful for it.

    - Set yourself up to take FULL advantage of the custom CSS: Since you're just starting out, this is the PERFECT!!! time to build any page templates up and get their styles defined in the custom CSS. Building and then having to convert over is a huge chore. If you don't know CSS very well (or at all), LEARN! My buddy "Google":http://www.google.com knows everything you need to get rolling. This is probably the most powerful tool that is available on OP if you build your site to work with it.

    - Be consistent in implementation: This is a nuts and bolts sort of thing, but it's worth mentioning, your campaign is made up of its various elements, and those collectively add to or make up your site's theme or feel. You want that feel to be consistent pretty much all the time. Examples of what I'm talking about are things like: always italicizing quoted or in character speech; ensuring that all lists or ordered versus unordered (or the other way around); always having sub menus on the left hand side of the page; Or any of a hundred other little things. Being consistent makes your site more intuitive and easier to use. It also typically makes it look better. This is another area where I can't stress the custom CSS enough. Having all of those nuts and bolts setups defined in there is awesome.

    - Make the site as attractive for your players as possible: These are the guys that are going to be using it more than anyone else (except you obviously) - you want them to like the site and maybe even contribute to it. These things are more likely if the players enjoy the site or there are things on the site that they want or need. An example might be a party loot page or an in game bulletin board. You're not doing all the work on the site for yourself alone, it's a campaign site, not a GM notepad. Design with that in mind.

    There are always more things that could be given as advice, but these are the 'basics' as far as I'm concerned. Most of the rest is gravy.
    All the best,
    - Kallak
  • GamingMegaverse
    GamingMegaverse
    Posts: 2,998
    I just want to say that Kallak's advice is excellent!! I wish I was starting a campaign now with CSS.....
    killervp
    "A God...Rebuilt":http://www.obsidianportal.com/campaigns/a-god-rebuilt
    "Duskreign's First Ever COTM":http://www.obsidianportal.com/campaigns/wyrmshadow/wiki_pages/112011
    "OP's COTM April 2012":http://blog.obsidianportal.com/a-god-rebuilt-aprils-cotm/

    Just trying to help out.

  • Mercutio361
    Mercutio361
    Posts: 16
    Thanks, Kallak for the great advice, and killervp, I have to agree, and I plan to start taking advantage of the css soon. So far, I've just now figuring out the inline css for some of the simple stuff like buttons and the custom nav bar. I'm beginning to play around with ideas and try to figure out something that looks great and will be cohesive.
  • tic
    tic
    Posts: 44
    Good luck, Mercutio! Give us a shout if you need any help.
  • tpmiller08
    tpmiller08
    Posts: 30
    I just made a campaign video for my d&d 4e campaign site. The site is still a work in progress, but I made the video as a teaser for my players to learn about the vampire clan that resides in the Shattered Temple in the Lower Ward of Sigil. It's your simple picture by picture, words on screen, and music in the background.

    I'm asking you (the learned and more experienced sages =), is there anything you would do different in the video, or any tips in general?

    http://www.obsidianportal.com/campaigns/moscales

    Thanks everyone!
  • darkanglmarine
    darkanglmarine
    Posts: 34
    tpmiller08,

    I have to be honest, it was a mixed bag from my perspective. I liked a lot of the imagery you used, and the music choice seemed to fit the subject. I enjoyed some of the visuals and some of the transitions and special effects were fun to watch (the shimmering undead). However, that being said, a few suggestions. First, I'd start the music sooner. There is about 3 seconds of imagery with out any sound. Second, I know there are tons of great looking transitions, but personally, the more you use, the less professional your project looks. I'd suggest sticking to no more than 2-3 unless you have a strong reason for the use of more (and I'd suggest there is no such reason). Also, I sorta get lost with the transition from party to the whole undead thing...I think you may need to either add a bit more to keep the continuity, or you may need to edit and change it a bit. It just seems to jump right at it, and not tell you how you are getting to that point. Also, at the end, there is another 5 or so seconds that could be cut. I think with a bit of tweeking it will look fantastic.


    darkanglmarine
    "The Watchtowers of Shadowgate Depths":http://www.obsidianportal.com/campaigns/the-watchtowers-of-shadowgate-depths
  • darkanglmarine
    darkanglmarine
    Posts: 34
    Greetings fellow gamers,

    Well, its been a while, and a lot has changed on the Watchtowers Campaign. I figured I'd give it another request to see what I may be overlooking, but I think at this point, with the reboot complete, the players coming over next Friday night to start character building, I'd give it a good once over from the community to see what you guys think. So, perhaps if someone who knows their stuff wants to take a crack at it, I'd greatly appreciate the input. I'm hoping its about COTM quality by now :) Just be warned, I cleaned out the original character records, as well as the original adventure logs so they are ready for the new party.

    darkanglmarine
    "The Watchtowers of Shadowgate Depths":http://www.obsidianportal.com/campaigns/the-watchtowers-of-shadowgate-depths
  • Fletcher
    Fletcher
    Posts: 1 edited August 2012
    Hey guys (and gals), I'm going to be running a campaign online using the OP as a base of operations. As such, I need my OP page to be really clean and fun to use so players don't get scared away. This is deathwatch, so I was greatly concerned that no one would know enough about the setting to give a helpful opinion outside of art and design. But low and behold a marine from my very favorite chapter is gracing the forums! So to "*darkanglmarine*":http://forums.obsidianportal.com/account.php?u=47395 and anyone else who feels compassion or loyalty to the emperor, I would greatly appreciate any thoughts or opinions you may have on _"Sacrifice"_:

    "http://www.obsidianportal.com/campaigns/sacrifice":http://www.obsidianportal.com/campaigns/sacrifice

    Also, you may have noted the online game aspect. If you are interested in joining, please send me links to any campaigns you've done (any system) and a story or two of your favorite role play moments of all time. Though I may accept additional players, I am being VERY picky about personality to ensure a serious and story oriented role play (_not **roll** play_). I'll give the players a chance to have a funny game here and there, but want to keep it more of a dry humor to ensure it doesn't distract from the rest of the game. I know that style of play isn't for everyone, but my goal is entertainment through challenge and question, not comedy.

    Anyway, I'd like to post a review of the last couple of submissions myself to ensure this isn't a one sided relationship with the forum, but will do so after I am more familiar with the standards as set in the past year.

    _Edit: I don't have the paid service with OP, but go ahead and judge as if I did so I know what having it would help most._
    Post edited by Fletcher on
  • darkanglmarine
    darkanglmarine
    Posts: 34 edited August 2012
    Brother Fletcher,

    The site looks like a great start. I like the campaign mission links, and the imagery (of course anything 40k is AWESOME). However, looks like you have lots of work ahead of you. I didn't particularly care for the nav links on the home page, and I noticed they were missing on the other pages (consistency). Also, I'd recommend finding a background image that fits your campaign (if you can't find something, well....then there's no hope XD ) Over all, its a great start. I'd do some research on some of the other 40k related OP Sites. I've found some great ideas from some of the other players. You can always check out my site for "Dark Heresy":http://www.obsidianportal.com/campaigns/the-rank-and-file as well. Let me know if I can help out in any way, I'm always interested in seeing what other campaigns are doing.


    He who stands with me shall be my brother.

    darkanglmarine
    "The Watchtowers of Shadowgate Depths":http://www.obsidianportal.com/campaigns/the-watchtowers-of-shadowgate-depths
    "The Rank and File":http://www.obsidianportal.com/campaigns/the-rank-and-file
    Post edited by darkanglmarine on
  • Lord_AO
    Lord_AO
    Posts: 38
    Nice start Fletcher! And don't forget that if you ever need any help there are a ton of peeps on here willing to lend a hand (me included - not that I'm that great of a help. lol)

    Lord AO
    "Deepest Darkness":http://www.obsidianportal.com/campaigns/deepest-darkness
  • twiggyleaf
    twiggyleaf
    Posts: 2,006
    *Shimring 50th Fan Site Review: "A Manifestation of Chaos" by Leonidas300*

    _This review of "A Manifestation of Chaos":http://www.obsidianportal.com/campaigns/metzger by GM Leonidas300 is in response to the player Maelstrom808 being the 50th fan of my "Shimring":http://www.obsidianportal.com/campaigns/shimring campaign the publishing of which has been sanctioned by the GM._

    I have long been a fan of this campaign and hope to see it soon as a Campaign of the Month, which I feel it truly deserves. In starting off this review, my only negative point is that I think the banner is a bit lacklustre. Although it has an exciting fiery background of burning skeletal faces and a clever "burning coal" font smoking over a scary chaotic god, it just does not have the vibrant visual impact that I feel it should to represent such a worthy campaign, which I shall now briefly describe.

    The Main Wiki Page is clear and concise presenting a cool wax seal icon for each major wiki branch. Lesser links are presented below in normal font, but do not be fooled into thinking these are insubstantial. If you click on "GREYHAWK DEITIES" you will find a most comprehensive table of Deities that is a pleasure to scroll through and easy to navigate.

    In the main wiki branches the enthusiastic traveller will be equally rewarded. "Characters" are all fairly consistent with separate fonts for basic stats and background stories. "Journals" will take you to the 50 "sheaths" detailing the journey of the campaign from Session 1 in CY621 recorded in February 06 right up to Session 50 in CY623 recorded on 19 August of this year. "Locations" will take you to a colour map with links to appropriate journals in the Adventure Log. "Experience" links to a beautifully designed page that outlines the award system, shows a typical experience path up to 20th level and provides a brilliant little graphic showing current experience status of the characters. (Not the first I have seen but they ARE effective!)

    Continuing through the main wiki, "Graveyard" is a diagramatical homage to fallen players in the campaign, each with its own little headstone icon and epitaph, for example: Drogan Steele (died in session 12): "Courage and honour meant little to a raging undead minotaur." The "Treasure" link is an up to date list of the party's current funds that lists a history of items gained and provides a link for players to bid for those they desire, while "Forge" links directly to the ITEMS page and lists and describes in detail what I imagine are some of the more important items in the campaign. All in all, a most excellent wiki with good linking and very legible fonts throughout.

    One of the links in this main page is quite novel but I am sure it will not be the last of its kind on Obsidian Portal. The "Players" section leads to a Players Home Page, where each Player has his own icon which, when clicked, transports the smiling voyager to a representation of that player in the form of a character sheet - the kind of place where one might learn that the site's GM is a Min/Maxer of great strength and inappropriate humour, interested in Star Trek and engaged in some way in legal systems. What a great way to get to know the group!

    This group also makes excellent use of the FORUMS section in the campaign and it is in such a place that one can see the extent of involvement of both players and GM as they discuss rules, refer to game events and make schedules for boardgames and other group events outside of the campaign.

    The 50 adventure logs listed so far are all uniform in their appearance with links to the full page spread, all of which are easy to read fonts on parchment background with highlighted links in Bold Black which I like because it seems less distracting than the usual coloured links, and some with added pictures or maps. The pictures showing miniatures "in action" are particularly good and I would urge the GM to include more of these.

    The maps section gives different snapshots of The Flaeness and Greyhawk and includes a couple of interesting additions. I just love the photograph of the 3D set up for the "Temple of Orcus":http://www.obsidianportal.com/campaigns/metzger/maps/25006 , obviously taken from one of the campaign sessions, and giving your recording of events some real substance.

    Obviously a lot of love, care and dedication has gone into this campaign and the involvement of the players speaks for itself. Some people might prefer some more pictures and it might possibly be time to add a side navigation bar to link to your most useful pages. None of these are really necessary though, as what this campaign shows me is a group of adventurers getting the most out of their game, and with a dedicated GM to guide them. Bravo! and good luck for your next move forward.

    twiggyleaf

    "I met a traveller from an antique land....."

    CotM May 2016: Mysteria: set in Wolfgang Baur’s MIDGARD.

    Previous CotM Aug 2012: Shimring: High Level Multiplanar Campaign

    Inner Council Member

  • BLACKFOX5
    BLACKFOX5
    Posts: 1
    After reading some posts here, I have some questions.

    1) I see mentions that pictures/art should have acknowledgements. How exactly is this done? Is it some formatting of the uploaded picture, a separate page, what? An example of one properly done would be nice.

    2) A lot of campaigns have a picture in the background that is not standard. How can someone add that if they are not tech savvy?

    3) What are some common general advice given to campaign sites?

    4) What kind of things do you - as a player - want to see on a site you play in?
  • GamingMegaverse
    GamingMegaverse
    Posts: 2,998
    Hi Black Fox! Any fan of the Monarch... or his henchmen, is ok by me.
    1- People do it different ways. I personally like to credit the artist on the page itself, and I have an "Acknowledgements Page":http://www.obsidianportal.com/campaign/a-god-rebuilt/wikis/acknowledgements
    2- I refer you to the "FAQ":http://forums.obsidianportal.com/comments.php?DiscussionID=1114&page=1 kept up by the legends on OP, Chainsaw & Arsheesh, with contributions from a whole lot of people.
    3- Make an outline of what you want- these things grow fast, and without a basic plan, you will find yourself changing a lot of things (I know I have.) Check out not only the FAQ listed above, but the "Hot Forum Topics":forums.obsidianportal.com/comments.php?DiscussionID=2410&page=1 as well.
    4- Ask your players what they want!!! Every group is different. Mine, for example, are legendary around here for their personal participation, so they want a lot more info than most. Ask your players, and work for them- they are what make the game!

    If you have other questions, just ask! Find sites you like and hit them with a PM- most of us are rather friendly here! I am always willing to help what little I can!
    killervp
    "A God...Rebuilt":http://www.obsidianportal.com/campaigns/a-god-rebuilt
    "Duskreign's First Ever COTM":http://www.obsidianportal.com/campaigns/wyrmshadow/wiki_pages/112011
    "OP's COTM April 2012":http://blog.obsidianportal.com/a-god-rebuilt-aprils-cotm/

    Just trying to help out.

  • maelstrom808
    maelstrom808
    Posts: 1
    Thanks for the review and the kind words Twig. Is it the banner or the background (or both) that are not particularly working, and can you give some more details on what you'd like to see different? We are talking about a couple changes that may involve those.
  • twiggyleaf
    twiggyleaf
    Posts: 2,006
    Maelstrom808

    It's just that the faded image seems very dull against the bright flame background, and although the font is very clever, the initial impact is that it seems a bit smudgey and is difficult to read at a glance. I leave the solutions up to you.

    twigs

    "I met a traveller from an antique land....."

    CotM May 2016: Mysteria: set in Wolfgang Baur’s MIDGARD.

    Previous CotM Aug 2012: Shimring: High Level Multiplanar Campaign

    Inner Council Member

  • darkanglmarine
    darkanglmarine
    Posts: 34 edited August 2012
    Greetings gentlemen and ladies. As The Wathtowers of Shadowgate Depths gets ready to begin our newest adventures, I've made a lot of changes, and would like some intuitive input on the wiki. If there is someone who has the inclination and is savvy enough for such a task, I'd greatly appreciate it.

    Thanks!


    darkanglmarine
    "The Watchtowers of Shadowgate Depths":http://www.obsidianportal.com/campaign/the-watchtowers-of-shadowgate-depths
    Post edited by darkanglmarine on
  • Jyhazen
    Jyhazen
    Posts: 20
    Hey OP, I've been here for a few months and have had two sessions with my current group. When you have time if you would check out Sanctuary Saga I'd appreciate some feedback! Thank you!

    "Sanctuary Saga":http://www.obsidianportal.com/campaigns/sanctuary-saga
  • darkanglmarine
    darkanglmarine
    Posts: 34
    Jyhazen,

    I have to say, for only having two sessions under your wiki's belt, I am VERY excited, enthralled, and pleased at the potential your campaign offers. First, I was amazed at how well organized it was, how much information you had available, and how easy it was to get the data. The depth of characters is awesome, and so is the story. I actually wish I was playing in your campaign!!! Like many of the new campaigns, there is a lot of room for growth, but every section of your wiki had relevant, current content that was well organized, and seemed to fit the rest. I give you two thumbs up so far, and CAN't WAIT to see what comes next!

    darkanglmarine
    "The Watchtowers of Shadowgate Depths":http://www.obsidianportal.com/campaigns/the-watchtowers-of-shadowgate-depths
  • Jyhazen
    Jyhazen
    Posts: 20
    Wow thanks!! I put a lot of work into the prep with all the NPC's and the backstory and I'm glad you appreciate it! Things should continue to get interesting as the small party has taken control of a Hobgoblin fortress with the main force away for a meeting with some mysterious denizens of the island they are on. The party is hoping reinforcements arrive before they return!

    I checked out your campaign as well and LOVE your video, now you have me thinking of doing one! I also really like your maps I can tell they are a little skewed with the resolution but I like how you did them, I haven't been able to make great maps yet as I'm not very artistic. I'm interested to see if they PC's you have listed stay the way the are to see how the Paladin gets along with Ren! Great job so far, if I had one criticism it would be your background image tiling, doesn't look as nice as the rest of your site...but that's it! Great job!
  • gaaran
    gaaran
    Posts: 740
    Hey everyone, I'm in the process of doing a major overhaul for the PBP that Rase Cidraen runs, and I'm a player in. I don't want to unveil all the functionality I've created (using some creative, if I do say so myself, CSS) until the updates go live on the main site, but I wanted to get some input on the layout of the site. The game is a Mage: The Awakening game, set in Chicago. I'm trying to go for a combination of magic and technology.

    On this page, you can get a preview of what the campaign content will look like: "Main Page":http://www.obsidianportal.com/campaigns/test-campaign-2
    And on this page, you can see what adventure logs and the comments and forums will look like: "Adventure Log":http://www.obsidianportal.com/campaign/test-campaign-2/adventure-log

    Also, I can't decide on a font, so I've included a bunch that I like from Google Web Fonts on the adventure log page, if people want to vote (or suggest others from the web fonts). Otherwise, I'm looking for comments or suggestions on things you do or don't like about the layout, the colors, whatever. Using the newly available CSS, sitewide changes are a breeze, so the sky's the limit here :).

    Thanks for taking a look, and I can't wait until this all goes live on the campaign site, I think it's going to be pretty slick :).
  • GamingMegaverse
    GamingMegaverse
    Posts: 2,998 edited September 2012
    So, doing another review of Darkanglmarine's "Watchtowers of Shadowgate Depths":http://www.obsidianportal.com/campaigns/the-watchtowers-of-shadowgate-depths since the last review was a very long time ago.... included below, with updates. As always, just my opinion....

    Start Page- Good banner, but would expand it and put the campaign name on it. Especially when the following picture fills the page better. (Campaign name now on) Would move character creation into the Wiki, as well as all the character stuff. (Done) Expand a little on the story, and make the background for the type something other than white. (Background still white) Speaking of backgrounds, a space background does not fit at all with the campaign. (Now just black- Still think a background overall would help) The “DM Only” section you have is a great summary- but call it a summary, and put it in the wiki. (Done, but still have a DM only link. Put the DM only link in the GM only section, so none of us see it) (Sidebar is good, but needs to be raised- I can see it on a monitor, but not on a laptop. Video is a good add, especially now that you have shortened it.)
    Adventure Logs- There is some good stuff here, but the lack of pictures hurts. (Only one log, as the campaign is rebooting)
    Wiki- THERE IS NO WIKI? Please either make it, or change it from gm only. (There is now a wiki, but it is very basic. Lots of good info, but the wiki presentation is very dull)
    Others- Characters- found no backgrounds- get your pcs to give you that. It helps you create a world that is more interactive with them. The only 2 Items were very well described. The only map is of an inn. (Ren is the only character with a background, and that is very short. Get a questionnaire together to have your characters answer- a great way to get them to provide a bio. Items are placeholders only. )
    Overall- You have some great ideas, but you need color and some more work. Ask your pcs to get involved, and remind them that the more involved the more all will enjoy the game. (Still applies)
    Post edited by GamingMegaverse on

    Just trying to help out.

Sign In or Register to comment.

March 2024
Wrath of the Highborn

Read the feature post on the blog
Return to Obsidian Portal

Howdy, Stranger!

It looks like you're new here. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons!

Discussions