[InsaneBaron]

I have a proposal.

When someone comes to our site, it's hard to find a real mission statement or explanation of what we are. Our "Main Page" is actually the newsletter. If you were to search around our forums, it's kinda hard at first to figure out what on Earth we are through all the chatter about Blue Planet and which Hercules is better.

We do have Karajorma's FAQ, but that's kinda hard to find if you're going through HLP itself- the only link here that I know of offhand is in Karajorma's signature.

So what I suggest is that we write an HLP Manifesto, explaining what FreeSpace is, What HLP is, and why after all these years it still matters. It should then be stickied to one of the main boards- preferably "Getting Started". It should probably include links to the wiki's Introduction article, Karajorma's FAQ, and Battuta's Guide.

As for who would write it: If people poll in favor of it but no one volunteers, I'd be willing to write it myself. I can write things like that pretty decently- it's my job as a reviewer. However, it might carry more weight if written by an older member- Goober or Karajorma.

So, yay or nay?

[Black Wolf]

I'm not... entirely sure of the value of such a document - I think it's pretty clear what we are and what we do, but maybe that's years of experience of the place talking. But honestly, it sounds at worst innocuous, and at best potentially a useful resource.

My advice would be pretty straightforward: if you think we need it, write it. Throw the few paragraphs together and post it up for review. You can tweak it in response to feedback, and when/if it's generally liked and accepted, we'll put it up in the "Getting Started" forum using the Announcements account.

[Rodo]

Which is the chance of getting the occasional internet surfer, oblivious to freespace, to hit on HLP's boards or the main page?

My estimation is: close to none if not already absolutely none.

I'm not against it, but it might prove to be a useless effort.

[InsaneBaron]

I'm not... entirely sure of the value of such a document - I think it's pretty clear what we are and what we do, but maybe that's years of experience of the place talking. But honestly, it sounds at worst innocuous, and at best potentially a useful resource.

My advice would be pretty straightforward: if you think we need it, write it. Throw the few paragraphs together and post it up for review. You can tweak it in response to feedback, and when/if it's generally liked and accepted, we'll put it up in the "Getting Started" forum using the Announcements account.

This suggestion makes sense, and so far people seem to be voting in this area ("It might be a good idea"). However, I don't just need votes, I need explanations like Black Wolf's. I need to know WHY people oppose or support the idea before I decide if I'm going to do anything- at this point I just don't have enough opinions to make the call, and I'm not in an authority position to do this on behalf of the community unless there's a fair number of people who state that they want it. After all, there may be factors I'm not aware of that would make this a bad idea.

So, thanks to Black Wolf for getting this started. Who else supports or opposes the idea?

[InsaneBaron]

Which is the chance of getting the occasional internet surfer, oblivious to freespace, to hit on HLP's boards or the main page?

My estimation is: close to none if not already absolutely none.

I'm not against it, but it might prove to be a useless effort.

You have a legit point here. However, I'm not thinking only of "Random" surfers. For instance, I got involved with HLP after hearing offhand references to it here and there. (wikipedia, for example). It took my a little bit to figure out what it was all about. This would be aimed, not just at "random" surfers, but people curious about FreeSpace and HLP. Particularly, it would set out to answer the question: "Why is there this bunch of people foruming about a game from the 90s, and why should I care?" In other words, what makes FreeSpace different- more worthy of this kind of community- from any other 15-year-old game.

[Rodo]

Then that's a completely different purpose from what I understood from the description.
Think it would be a good adition, voting positively.

[Megawolf492]

I think that it should have a small introduction, explaining Freespace,  , and who we are in a paragraph or two. Then, have a bigger section with links to the different aspects of HLP (FSOpen, FSPort, FSSCP, etc.), and explaining each in greater detail and how one might benefit from or contribute to each. I do think it should be stickied to the Getting Started forum. I don't ever visit the actual home page, so I don't know what to do with that. But I say go for it!

[General Battuta]

Volition Software's legendary space sims FreeSpace and FreeSpace 2 were among the finest games ever made. After  the release of the FreeSpace source code, Hard Light Productions has continued to develop these games for more than a decade - and built an enduring community devoted to constant artistic and technical improvement. Continue the FreeSpace saga with fan-made stories, leap into brand-new worlds from the imaginations of our users, or join the fight as a pilot in the beloved worlds of Babylon 5, Wing Commander, Star Wars, or Battlestar Galactica.  Whatever you choose, always remember: you can make your own mark, whether as a coder, an artist, or a mission designer.

[Bullhorn]

I'm in favour.
I like immediate clarity about a subject, and a simple 1 paragraph at the front page of HLP (somewhere obvious and at the top of either the main column or the sidebar)  would be great.

To keep it tidy It could have a little JS script and button to allow a sliding expansion down,  to reveal further paragraphs and links.

Bh

[An4ximandros]

Volition's memorable Freespace & Freespace 2 were among the Space Sim genre's most beloved videogames.
Hard Light Productions, originally a modding site for the franchise, took upon itself the responsibility of updating, maintaining and enhancing the engine of the games once Volition released their source code. Now, more than a decade after the release of the Source code, Hard Light Production thrives and prides itself on the hosting and interconnection of many of the modifications created by its community for either the original game or many of the standalone games made with FSO. (TBP, Diaspora, FotG, etc.)

Hard Light is a community in which even the inexperienced, but willing to learn, can make use of its tools to create something for all SpaceSim-nauts to enjoy; be it a mission, new ship models, textures, or even a story set in a cosmos of your own.

I am in favor of something clear and not intrusive to explain this community.

[InsaneBaron]

I looks like the idea is becoming popular.

Were I to write it myself, I'd probably be aiming for a sort of essay covering why FreeSpace is so resilient- among other things. Something a little longer than what Battuta and An4ximandros proposed. But, it's not solely my decision.

[Mongoose]

Something like one of those examples sounds good to me.  Hell, we could put it under a big "Who We Are" listing in the uppermost menu, since as-is there's no real visible general mission statement sort of page like many sites have.

[karajorma]

I'd suggest a short answer along with a link to a longer one. So you just have something like this

blurb explaining HLP

Dive in and start exploring (Links to the front page or the forum)

Read about HLP in more detail

[InsaneBaron]

I'd suggest a short answer along with a link to a longer one. So you just have something like this

blurb explaining HLP

Dive in and start exploring (Links to the front page or the forum)

Read about HLP in more detail

A capital idea!

The poll so far seems to indicate in favor of the manifesto. The other question is, who should write it?

[Goober5000]

Why not take a stab at it yourself?  You might use Battuta's example for inspiration.

[InsaneBaron]

Why not take a stab at it yourself?  You might use Battuta's example for inspiration.

Working on it now. Might take a few days, given that I'm juggling time between it, homework, and my own FRED project.

[General Battuta]

I've got to warn you that I'm going to be about as merciless on the final product as a modeler would be about bad smoothing. If this is going to be our community intro it's got to be super slick.

[InsaneBaron]

I've got to warn you that I'm going to be about as merciless on the final product as a modeler would be about bad smoothing. If this is going to be our community intro it's got to be super slick.

Read you loud and clear.

A quick note on the beginning: Are we agreed on the title "Hard Light Productions: A Manifesto", or does that come across as too communist?

Also, for organization, I was thinking of a section-question pattern:

What is this document?
What is FreeSpace?
What is Hard Light Productions?
Why is FreeSpace still alive?
What has Hard Light Productions done to FreeSpace?
Cool! How do I start?

[General Battuta]

I'd just call it 'What is Hard Light Productions?' Nerds on the internet tend to use flowery language just because they can, so you want to signal 'all business, won't waste your time'.

Your questions are fine, except cut 'what is this document' and answer each question with maybe ~two sentences. The shorter this is, the better.

[Luis Dias]

Oh and no emoticons.