Bay 12 Games Forum

Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length
Advanced search  

Author Topic: Proposed change to main page: doc flow for noobs  (Read 1736 times)

ral

  • Bay Watcher
  • Praying to arm_ok
    • View Profile
    • Steam Profile
Proposed change to main page: doc flow for noobs
« on: April 07, 2011, 05:12:26 pm »

I've been trying to improve the documentation for for noobs lately. As part of this I'd like to propose the following change to the "New to dwarf fortress?" box on the main page:

http://df.magmawiki.com/index.php/User:Ral/Testmain

Essentially the idea is to organize this into:
- What the heck is this and do I even want to try it? (about dwarf fortress)
- How do I install the software and what next? (How to Set Up and Play Dwarf Fortress)
- How do I start learning to play Fortress Mode and what tutorials are there? (Fortress mode quickstart)
- How do I start learning to play Adventure Mode and what tutorials are there? (Adventurer mode quickstart)
- So what's up with the latest features? (Game development)
- I still can't figure something out even with the docs. Where do I go for help? (Questions and Troubleshooting)

Right now this box is a bit too much of a hodgepodge and I, at least, feel like it needs to provide a more logical flow from "what the heck is this?" to the full documentation all over the wiki. Anything removed from this box will be prominently featured on the appropriate "introductory flow" page.

I've got the adventurer mode stuff into the sort of flow that I'm talking about, and to further help the flow of the fortress mode documentation I've created this:

http://df.magmawiki.com/index.php/Dwarf_fortress_mode

Now I just want to improve the general installation page and the fortress mode quickstart so that it encompasses both tutorials and the sort of minimal quickstart stuff that it already does.

Please let me know what you think of these proposals.
« Last Edit: April 22, 2011, 07:30:57 pm by ral »
Logged

ral

  • Bay Watcher
  • Praying to arm_ok
    • View Profile
    • Steam Profile
Re: Proposed change to main page: doc flow for noobs
« Reply #1 on: April 22, 2011, 07:31:30 pm »

Ok, I reworked the About page and created, an Installation page, and reworked the tutorials page:

http://df.magmawiki.com/index.php/DF2010:About
http://df.magmawiki.com/index.php/DF2010:Installation
http://df.magmawiki.com/index.php/User:Ral/Tutorials

The main page has not been changed yet and nothing has been linked. I will change the main page tomorrow if there are no concerns or complaints before then.
« Last Edit: April 23, 2011, 04:41:57 pm by ral »
Logged

ral

  • Bay Watcher
  • Praying to arm_ok
    • View Profile
    • Steam Profile
Re: Proposed change to main page: doc flow for noobs
« Reply #2 on: April 24, 2011, 03:02:36 pm »

This has all been moved into place now. Let me know what you think....

K.I.L.E.R

  • Bay Watcher
    • View Profile
Re: Proposed change to main page: doc flow for noobs
« Reply #3 on: April 24, 2011, 06:52:51 pm »

Awesome dude. Nice work. Very detailed.
Logged

ral

  • Bay Watcher
  • Praying to arm_ok
    • View Profile
    • Steam Profile
Re: Proposed change to main page: doc flow for noobs
« Reply #4 on: April 24, 2011, 07:01:19 pm »

Thanks! Hopefully this will help bring more people into the game.