Suggestions Forums guide

This guide is for beginning suggesters. You may wish to read only the first part of this page. It has the most vital tips to make a good suggestion. Keep in mind that when we say "reader," we mean two things: the Game Masters (who could be responsible for your idea being put in the game) and the community. (Who will hold sway over weather or not your idea goes in the game.)

Important points

• Do a search. When you get an idea, it's usually a wise idea to do a Google search, putting site:forums.spiralknights.com in the search string and then one or more words related to your idea. (Do not use the forums search engine. This goes very slow and misses many threads.) You want to do this because many suggestions have been thoroughly discussed previously. You may find informative posts, giving you some clues of why or why not your idea will work. If you can't find anything related to your idea, you don't agree with the previous discussions, or your idea somehow fixes the problems found, go ahead and make a new thread.

• Try to keep somewhat decent grammar and spelling. We all understand if English isn't your first language, but please try to check your spelling and grammar. If you don't do a good job at this part, your idea will be hard to follow. In worst case scenarios, your readers will misunderstand you, and will disagree with you because of this. Try to proofread your suggestion before posting it by using the Preview button. If you ever notice an issue after you make your post, you can make changes to it with the edit button. (Use your browser's search feature for the word Edit if you can't find it.)

• Keep your idea clear and concise. There's no point in making a suggestion if no one understands you! This goes with the previous point. Even if your grammar is fine, you might word things poorly. When re-reading your suggestion, try to take the view point of the reader who knows nothing about your suggestion. If you feel that formatting your suggestion would make it easier to read (like making lists), then this should help.

• Don't be upset if someone doesn't like your idea. When you suggest something and someone doesn't like it, listen to them, especially if they are being constructive. Maybe they may help you make your suggestion better. Getting upset the moment someone points out a flaw is the fastest way to derail your topic and screw up your suggestion, no matter how good it could be.

• Remember that your idea won't necessarily make it into the game. You should never ever count on this. Further more, your idea may be put in the game, but your specific points may be drastically changed. Remember who is in the driver's seat.

• Lastly, ask yourself: How will this idea help the game? Would it really enhance the game? Would it just make the game more complex, or detract from some other part of the game? Would it be a useless addition which no one would want?

Helpful tips

These are more tidbits if you want to spice up your suggestion further. They aren't as vital as the previous section, but if you are aiming for a class A suggestion, keep reading.

• Fill out as many details as you can. Sometimes, this is impossible. But, when you add filling to your idea, your readers may tell exactly where you are aiming with this suggestion. For example, what's the description of an item? What does it look like? How much does it cost? However, always keep in mind that your details probably wouldn't be copied exactly if they were put in the game.

• Use formatting. It isn't to hard to format your posts. Having some formatting could make reading far easier. For example, some large suggestions may have several sections. Use the strong to mark headers, or emphasize the important parts of your ideas and make sure they are noticed.

• Don't use too much formatting. While formatting is good, too much of it is ugly. Use when you need it, but most of the time you shouldn't need it. When I say too much, I mean bolding or italicizing whole paragraphs.

• Note at the end of your suggestion that you are willing to change it and are looking for constructive criticism. This notes specifically that you aren't the kind of guy who will start and argument when his idea is disliked. Even if your idea is bad to start, this will definitely reduce a hotheaded response to something you can work with.

• When replying to someone else's suggestion, be as kind as possible. Do not call names, and do not just shot their idea to the floor. Politely state why you don't agree with their idea, or why it would mess up the game. Believe it or not, most people cherish their ideas. No matter how idiotic it seems to you, maybe they haven't learned as much of the game as you have. If you were in their shoes, would you want someone shouting at you over things which you don't know? When you are polite about it, the suggester learns something, may possibly fix his idea, and you avoid a fight.

Any other ideas or tips? Add them here! Of course, keep the important points as short as you can. That section is intended to be short for impatient peoples' sake.