I've noticed that there are several threads here titled "Help Needed", or "Asking for Advice", or similar. The thing is, titles like that really don't help, either from the point of view of people browsing the boards (who are likely to skip a thread blandly asking for help), or more importantly from people who have commented and want to check back on the progress of the thread. It's just harder to find the thread again if it's called "Please help me" than if it's called "Help! My players have set fire to my hair!".
Please remember that the only thing the casual viewer sees of your thread is its title. Consider it an advert, which should scream "You Must Read This Thread or Die!!!!"
Giving your thread a good name will probably garner more responses from people who know what they're talking about.
Thank you.
Guess I am not that lazy; I always scan the mouse over the post and read the first couple lines; the ones that bug me are the replies that have someone elses post on top as I can't see what the poster is saying; either way; I usually read any posts by my favorite posters as you can do that by name just to see what ideas they have come up with.
Bella Sara Charter Superscriber
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The Ace, you have been summoned!
I agree - some sort of commentary as to the question asked should be in the thread title. And if you're going to do something clever, please give a paranthetical. (e.g., A Bird in the Hand (aka, can a cockatrice use its bite during a grapple?))
I can't say that the mouse-over addresses the issue, particularly when a post begins (as they usually do): "Dear Dragon/Dungeon/Penthouse: I was hoping you could help out. There is a problem in my game." Most posters that start threads like this don't actually name the problem until near the end of the mouse-over text.
Granted, my impression is that the posters who have thread titles of this type are not regulars, so I'm not optimistic that this thread will reach its intended audience.