The Proving Grounds - website for scenario designer's (cross-posted)

[GJK]

Sorry for the cross- post, but in case some designer's/playtesters don't get over to the main forum very often (p.s., this *will* be available for both CMBB and CMBO, I don't see any reason for it not to be):

Hi all,

As mentioned in previous posts, I had an idea (with input from others-thanks!) to design a website that would allow scenario designer's to upload their "unproven" scenarios and to allow playtesters to download and play the scenarios and then give their input as to what could be done to help finalize the production.

Well, the site is in production, the mods are still there (with screenshots now ) but it's getting there. At least it looks like a website now.

The next step is to build the databases and the interfaces for the features listed below:

The site will feature an "opponent finder" where visitors can search for other players that match search criteria that they enter. I'm thinking the criteria would be scenario name(s), time of day available to play (if TCP/IP) in GMT (I'll provide a conversion chart) or # of turns able to play per week (if PBEM). The scenario list to select to play from would be an auto-populated list comprised of the scenarios that have been uploaded to the site.

Author's of scenarios will be able to setup a simple account (yes free, and nothing personal is needed except a valid email address) so that they can upload scenarios and edit the info screen pertaining to it. And also to overwrite the version that is there with updates.

I have not decided how to handle the reviews of scenarios. Yes, it is an issue that is well known that most people just don't opt to provide reviews. That's why my initial thoughts are to make the review process as simple as possible but yet giving the designer some pertinent info that they need to tweak the scenario out. Again, comments welcomed on any ideas here (or about any of this).

As stated before, this is not a site to compete with the Scenario Depot (or any other scenario sites) but is more of a compliment to them. Once a scenario has been playtested to death via this site and the designer has gotten the feedback they need to finish the scenario, they can then move it to the other, more permament scenario holding sites.

The link is in my sig in case some of you haven't been there yet. Like I said, there's some mods (plan to add more as you guys make them) and yes, the mod section itself will be redone sometime in this process.

Comments/suggestions always welcomed.