A Staff Picks Page!

Summary:

Killing many birds with a single stone

A Staff Picks Page!

Vezaz 13 Oct 2013 21:30

Today, while watching a debate over which SCPs to read first blow up into an argument, Soulless and I had the idea for a staff picks page which we could throw at new users interested in getting a varied diet of quality SCPs and Tales; a range of articles which would represent the many different styles and cultures of writing we have.

The proposal is very simple: A page is to be created, preferably with a sidebar link with the rest of the recommended initial reading, on which each staffer, mod, and admin may list up to two SCPs and one Tale as their "staff picks" for new readers. The purpose of this page would be to introduce new readers to the wide variety of styles and attitudes present on the site without anybody fighting to make sure noobies sign on to "their" Foundation.

By giving each staffer an equal chance to list their ideal first articles, we ensure that new users are exposed to a wide range of styles and philosophies regarding what makes a good SCP/Tale, and totally sidestep arguments like "Are the Oldies Also Goodies?" and "What Does the Top-Rated Pages Page Even Mean?"

-Each pick may be accompanied by a short blurb explaining why the article was picked, or what aspect of site culture it typifies, etc., etc.

-Staffers will be listed in alphabetical order.

-2 SCPs to 1 Tale matches the ratio of SCPs to Tales on the site and ensures that Tales are neither overrepresented nor neglected.

-We would state at the top that these are just the opinions of the staff on good introductory articles/ articles which give a good sense of the site character; that they are reflective of many different veteran opinions and nothing more.

This idea has already been endorsed by Dmatix, Djoric, Silber, and Tuomey. It is my hope we could get the page posted and have staffers adding to it by the end of the week.

Thoughts? Questions? Concerns?

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I sing of arms and the man
Storm-tossed by Hera's jealousy

Re: A Staff Picks Page!

SoullessSingularity 13 Oct 2013 21:42

As a more clarified explanation, this resulted out of the fact that there was some debate in site19 as to articles that newbies should read. A lot of the time, top rated articles are stuff like SCP—J and the pizza box. Older articles are things that follow older styles and while interesting, a newbie shouldn't be following dated styles to write recent work as it has a good chance of being received poorly. I suggested that it would be cool if staff members who presumably have relatively good tastes suggest articles and tales to newbies, either gems in the rough, well-done articles that are generally looked over, or just weird shit that they personally enjoy. It'd provide a greater variety and chances are higher quality articles than a generally sweeping 'all top pages' and 'them old articles'.

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Living the dream, or dreaming the life?

Re: A Staff Picks Page!

Communism will win 13 Oct 2013 21:53

It's an appealing idea, but I'm skeptical. Worried that it might narrow the experience, so to speak, for newer people — I would rather people explore the site on their own whims than have a conveniently packaged set of reading for them to do. Building off of that, I'm also of the opinion that we have enough articles such that a small, well-contructed list would be less representative than pretty much any large list that people might make. Or to put it another way, no five groups of ten articles, carefully constructed and crafted to the best of staff's ability, will give anyone a better idea of the site than a group of three hundred that they might get by hopping around on one/both of the series lists. Which doesn't negate the value of such a tailored list, but I assert that it's necessarily less than ideal, and less than what users might do otherwise.

I will also admit that I'm wary of attaching too much significance to the tastes and opinions of staff, or rather, to the staff themselves. It's not a secret that I take a very "let the votes decide" approach to overall article structure, and I would find it questionable to use our status and ability to alter the site's structure to put forward our own take on things. To put it another way, it's edging in the direction of¹ the egotistical wankery that SA and 4chan ascribe to us, and I don't want them to have a point.

I should clarify that it's not the end of the world if this goes through as planned — I'm just worried that we'll end up with something that functions as an uncomfortable mixture of the Cliche Guide and the G2N's staff list.

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I think this would be best as a collaborative essay — staffers who want to contribute pick some articles that exemplify some aspect or point about the Foundation that they want to highlight, write up a short bit about it (no more than a few paragraphs), then add it to the page. Key features this would have:

• Not linked from the sidebar, Guide to Newbies, or the other things that used to be required reading. It is in no way/shape/form "official".
• Presented as a fun exploration of the site's culture, themes, and content.
• Entries will not be signed on the page itself (ex: Not "Drewbear's picks" or "Dexanote's picks", but something else that I haven't thought of yet), and the page shouldn't have "Staff" or some other synonym in the title.
• Not explicitly flavored as a "read these first" article, although it would function as a nice reference. People can still link to it when asked what to read first, but that's not what it's for, seen?

[Appropriate and digestable way to sum up and end this post]

Footnotes

1. Not pushing us over the brink, mind you — just moving in that direction.

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if your reading this your gay

Last edited on 13 Oct 2013 22:06 by Communism will win Show more

Re: A Staff Picks Page!

Pig_catapult 14 Oct 2013 00:08

I could get behind this. Some sort of essay on articles that best illustrate certain things about the Foundation as an organisation, or that show a certain style used very effectively.

For example, like I said in the heritage list voting, SCP-231 and SCP-590 both exemplify the Foundation at its worst, but in very different ways. 231 is long with very high expungement, while 590 is short with no expungement, and the horror is played differently in each. SCP-231's horror is in the realm of the eldritch and unknowable, while SCP-590's is simple and all-too-human.

Then, say, a few examples of tackling the "difficult-to-impossible-to-fully-contain" issue, the Keter Cakes and that Granny Knows fortune telling thing to show that a Keter can be all but harmless and a Safe can be excessively lethal…

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Piffy is an SCP Foundation Moderator, Lv. 9001 Squishy Wizard, and Knight of the Red Pen.

Re: A Staff Picks Page!

SoullessSingularity 14 Oct 2013 02:07

Or to put it another way, no five groups of ten articles, carefully constructed and crafted to the best of staff's ability, will give anyone a better idea of the site than a group of three hundred that they might get by hopping around on one/both of the series lists.

Herein lies the problem. Chances are newbies aren't going to be reading 300 articles randomly hopping between both lists. Chances are newbies will be reading either the first 50 or so of the first list or the first few pages of the highest rated articles, which include things that are highly rated but that following their footsteps may not be a good idea. The idea is that I like to think that the staff members are varied in tastes and opinions of articles and tales, and so would recommend different ones, at least it might be better than newbies simply surfing old articles or, say, the toaster, and then applying it to SCP writing.

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Living the dream, or dreaming the life?

Last edited on 14 Oct 2013 02:08 by SoullessSingularity Show more