More prominent FAQ

[Bobson]

Over in this thread, DeathQuaker wrote:

Sean K Reynolds wrote:

That question (like many that arose from the "any questions about magic item crafting" thread I started) is important enough that it belonged in the FAQ where everyone could read it, not in a book of campaign options that many people wouldn't know was the place to find rulings on how the default crafting system is supposed to work.

I can understand that, but I think there's a flaw in the assumption that the FAQ is the more accessible thing in terms of what players KNOW about. I think far more Pathfinder players read the rulebooks than even know the FAQ exists. Is there a reference to the FAQ in the rulebooks? I don't see one. I mean, in my groups, most of us are experienced players, but out of about 12-15 of us who play Pathfinder, only two of us visit the Paizo boards or site at all generally outside the PRD--and AFAICT the PRD doesn't link to or reference the FAQ either.

If the ruling had been listed briefly in UCa, for that matter, it would have ended up in the PRD where even people who had not bought the book would likely eventually see it.

Can't change anything now, but a comment to the staff in general that if you are relying upon the FAQ to make common rulings and suggestions known to ALL players, then you need to advertise the FAQ's existence much more broadly and make it more accessible. As it is, most people probably think that link to "Help/FAQ" is the SITE FAQ only, not the rules FAQ, and the rules FAQ links are tiny and not front and center.

I'm quoting DeathQuaker here, because I want to make sure the web team sees this. I strongly support her feelings.

Some additional points:

Clicking the large "Pathfinder Roleplaying Game" logo, then clicking the large "Frequently Asked Questions" link goes to a page with questions about what Pathfinder is, with no way to get to the rules FAQ.

Even from the main Pathfinder page, you have to go to a specific product's page before you even find the link to the FAQ for that book, and if you're looking for a specific piece of errata/FAQ, you have to know where it's from in order to find any clarifications.

The Help/FAQ up top, as DeathQuaker said, seems much more about help with the messageboards, or ordering, or otherwise using the website, and is not clearly about the rules. In addition, picturing it as "Rules FAQ" up there just feels wrong, so that's probably not the best place to turn into a link.

The PRD itself has no link to the FAQ. I understand from previous comments that it wouldn't be feasible to change the text of the PRD until a new edition with official errata has been printed, but it should be feasible to link to it from the sidebar (where it links to the message boards)

The rules forum itself has neither a Sticky post linking to the FAQ, nor a link in the description up top. Either one would be viable. Personally, I'd love to have a sticky FAQ thread which is locked, and have a staff member post in it every time the FAQ is updated, but simply having a locked, sticky link thread would be sufficient.

There is no compilation of rules into an easily searchable document for offline reference. I feel like there should be a PDF compilation that gets updated periodically (twice a year?) with all rule FAQs.

I know the web team is busy, between the fulfillment system, Game Space, and all the day-to-day changes and bug-fixes required for running both a messageboard and an ecommerce store, but a lot of these seem like they would be close to trivial to implement, and would make the FAQ much more visible.

[Talonhawke]

I could see the benefit of making it noticeable. I for instance didnt know that several were updated on the 9th.

[Chris Lambertz]

I responded to a similar request earlier this week. This is on our radar :)

[Bobson]

Chris Lambertz wrote:

I responded to a similar request earlier this week. This is on our radar :)

Cool. Hopefully you're not using over-the-horizon radar!

[Avatar-1]

I think the Paizo crew already know, but it's so bizarre to have to look at one area (the left sidebar images) to get to Pathfinder Society stuff, somewhere else to get to the messageboards (the tiny link in the grey top-bar), somewhere else to get to My Pathfinder Society (first the logo, then the tiny link in the grey top-bar), and the list goes on.

I've just noticed that "Help" has been changed to "Help/FAQ" has actually been in the last week or so - props for that trivial but incredibly helpful improvement! More of those, please.

[DeathQuaker]

From Chris's link:

Chris Lambertz wrote:

Coming up with something to make those easier to find would be nice and we have tagging FAQ clarifications from the blog on the To Do List, but it probably won't end up in the PRD. The PRD is meant to reflect only the printed material from the hardcovers.

I hope there is a LINK to the FAQ in the PRD index. I don't think the FAQ material needs to be integrated into the PRD, but many Pathfinder players ONLY consult the PRD outside of their printed books, so they need to know the FAQ is there, and a link from the PRD page is the only way they are going to find it.

I am glad the issue is on the staff radar though, you guys always seem to be on top of things, and I appreciate that.

Thanks Bobson for starting the thread.

[CanisDirus]

Another thought - maybe when a question is identified as being in the FAQ or PRD, having that rules thread linked to the FAQ/PRD in question and then locked? I've seen several times now FAQ tags on replies to rules questions after it's marked "answered in the FAQ" but no one can find anything related to said answer, etc.

Thanks, in advance and again, for everyone at Paizo being on top of all this!

[Cheapy]

CanisDirus wrote:

Another thought - maybe when a question is identified as being in the FAQ or PRD, having that rules thread linked to the FAQ/PRD in question and then locked? I've seen several times now FAQ tags on replies to rules questions after it's marked "answered in the FAQ" but no one can find anything related to said answer, etc.

Thanks, in advance and again, for everyone at Paizo being on top of all this!

Greatly agreed with this. It's pretty frustrating to see a post that you've been eagerly waiting to see answered in the FAQ marked as "Answered in FAQ", only for no related entry to be in the FAQ.

[Vic Wertz]

CanisDirus wrote:

Another thought - maybe when a question is identified as being in the FAQ or PRD, having that rules thread linked to the FAQ/PRD in question and then locked? I've seen several times now FAQ tags on replies to rules questions after it's marked "answered in the FAQ" but no one can find anything related to said answer, etc.

See this post.

[CanisDirus]

Vic Wertz wrote:

CanisDirus wrote:

Another thought - maybe when a question is identified as being in the FAQ or PRD, having that rules thread linked to the FAQ/PRD in question and then locked? I've seen several times now FAQ tags on replies to rules questions after it's marked "answered in the FAQ" but no one can find anything related to said answer, etc.

See this post.

Thanks! *heads over*

[Winston Colt]

After 20 mins Im still looking for the answer given to a post.
The post says "39 people marked this as FAQ candidate. Answered in the FAQ." But where do I go?

Hitting Help/FAQ? takes me to Billing and What is Paizo? with no clear links to where questions have been answered. A link on a post that has been voted up and replied to that takes you straight to the reply would be very helpful.

By the way I still cant find the answer from this page if someone could point me in the right direction please? :)

http://paizo.com/threads/rzs2pbz2?Witch-cackle

[Winston Colt]

Ok found what I was looking for but I had to use the link from the original Sean K Reynolds quote that Bobson put at the top of the page.

I still cannot find where it links to the Help/FAQ? page

[Vic Wertz]

Winston Colt wrote:

Hitting Help/FAQ? takes me to Billing and What is Paizo? ...

See the giant "More FAQs" box on the upper right corner of that page.

Winston Colt wrote:

A link on a post that has been voted up and replied to that takes you straight to the reply would be very helpful.

As mentioned before, see this post.