Another new forum suggestion!

[Wrexsoul]

I had this idea a couple of days ago, but didn't post about it at once due to lack of time and energy. Figured I'd get around to it now, though!

This is a -bit- similar to the experimentation thread, but a subject of its own, and in no relation with or in anyway influenced by that post.

Also, yes, I did read Howland's answer there about him not wanting any more forums, but I'll post this anyway, so that I can get official word on it. :)

Basically what I'm suggesting is a... Well, call it a "Field Research" forum. The idea is based on the obvious OOC problem of being a character with a knowledge ability (archaeology, lore, spellcraft) and finding something you would like to apply said knowledge on in a remote place that isn't often visited. A ruin, a ritual site, what have you - anything that an archaeologist/spellcrafter would love to examine, but that you can't just put in your pocket and bring with you, or go back to at an appointed time with a DM. Basically, if there is no DM with you exactly when you discover a site like this, there is nothing you can really do about it.

So I'm proposing a forum, visible only to the poster and the DMs, where one could post a screenshot of themselves standing by a curious ruin/magical stone/thingamajing that is not in a place they could easily return to later on with DM supervision. In the screenshot would be included skill rolls of whatever skill would be applicable to the research you want to undertake.

Now, the main reasons "research forums" are often frowned upon (reasoning I definitely agree with) are three: It would be cluttered with a lot of tiny research threads about just about anything (thus making it too big a project to supervise and respond to), and a lot of "forum roleplaying" would take place. Finally, there is a risk of spoilers. Neither of these problems would apply to the forum I'm suggesting.

Clutter will be nonexistant, because it's not that often people go exploring for hours and find a extraordinary, stationary object to research.

Forum roleplaying, too, would be at a minimum - Since you have to provide a screenshot of you standing at said location doing the research IG, you couldn't just go "Dudebert the Sholarexplorer travels west for two and a half hour and finds the ruin that is there somewhere and investigates it much" in a forum post.

Spoilers would, due to threads being visible only to their poster and the DMs, be nonexistant.

Finally, the times this sort of forum -would- be used, would all be very important to the character. There would be no minor "eh I might as well" research - Every instance will be one that's following a lot of work and IG commitment getting to said far-off place - If it's easy to get to IG you should just instead grab a DM and make an appointment.

Basically, it would be a low-clutter and IG-compatible, non-spoiling yet very helpful addition to the forums. What say you?