Using the spoiler tag properly

[godsDMit]

So ive noticed a LOT of people who seem to fail to grasp the idea that the spoiler tag shouldnt contain every bit of information about its contents it if is to be effective.

In PFS this can be kind of a big deal at times, since story elements can take months, if not years, to completely play out.

Wrong way to spoiler tag stuff:

Spoiler:

Scenario X contains Monster Y that does Z to you.

Why is that not helpful? Cause if you havent played X, then its too late once youve opened it. Just dont open it, you say? How was I supposed to know? Its not labeled.

Correct way to spoiler tag stuff:

Scenario X:

Contains monster Y that does Z to you.

or

Monster Y does Z to you in...:

Scenario X

Dont know how to make your spoiler tag say anything except 'spoiler'?

When you create your spoiler tag, it starts with "[sp0iler]" (using a 0 instead of an O here so it doesnt open a spoiler for me). If you want it to say something specific, just add a "=Whatever you want it to say" after the word 'spoiler' and before the closing bracket.

[Nefreet]

You mean like this?

[SPOILER="The Confirmation is awesome!"]Your spoilered text goes here.[/SPOILER]

...which will look like this?

The Confirmation is awesome!:

Your spoilered text goes here.

[godsDMit]

Exactly. :)

[Rogue Eidolon]

The problem is that having the scenario name inside the spoiler and describing the spoiler outside the spoiler box is still a spoiler. If I said something like

The Nymph is actually a vampire in

Spoiler:

Sorrows of the Midnight Nymph

then anyone who remembers reading the thread will be expecting a nymph vampire any time they hear about a nymph, and nymphs aren't in very many scenarios anyway.

On the converse, if somebody said something like "Are there any Nymph Vampires in scenarios?" and somebody said

Sorrows of the Midnight Nymph:

There's totally a Nymph Vampire in this scenario.

, then you are spoiled just by reading the name of the spoiler box.

So it's possible there's no way around it!

In the case of the thread on mind-buttressing that had that blank spoiler block that you're probably referencing, I think the person who made the blank box made the only choice that could avoid spoilers. It was up to all the readers to avoid clicking the box if they wanted to avoid the chance it was something they hadn't played. That said, I think it was inappropriate for the OP to ask for a scenario list in the first place and set up the expectation for this to occur.

Also, the Nymph Vampire is an Antipaladin 11. Farewell players...

[Nefreet]

Seth Gipson wrote:

Exactly. :)

I have the same annoyance with people posting hyperlinks incorrectly.

[Tarma]

Mark Seifter wrote:

I think it was inappropriate for the OP to ask for a scenario list in the first place and set up the expectation for this to occur.

That being said, that is also the purpose of the spoiler tag. There were some things in question in PFS and not everyone was certain that was a situation that qualified. Spoiler tags are in place so certain things like that can be discussed.

Could the tag have been named a little better? Probably. But I don't think the poster of the tag did anything egregious.

[Rogue Eidolon]

Tarma wrote:

Mark Seifter wrote:

I think it was inappropriate for the OP to ask for a scenario list in the first place and set up the expectation for this to occur.

That being said, that is also the purpose of the spoiler tag. There were some things in question in PFS and not everyone was certain that was a situation that qualified. Spoiler tags are in place so certain things like that can be discussed.

Could the tag have been named a little better? Probably. But I don't think the poster of the tag did anything egregious.

I think a PM would have been a better choice. As I showed above, there's no way to answer the question "Which scenario contains X" using a spoiler tag that will not blindside people who click on it.

That said, also everyone who clicked on it should have prepared to possibly be spoiled.