Scratch

archmage · 2009-11-30 14:42:17

One problem I find with scratch, is that for newbies it is difficult to learn how to do things. The forums is not the best source of info because there are few help threads and the same questions are asked repeatedly. All other languages have lots of resources on how to do different things with the language which allows people to built what they want. For scratch, there is not a lot of support which makes it difficult for a beginner to make something more complex than the sample projects. A wiki would help people to efficiently get the info they need for whatever purpose?

Thoughts?

Mr_X · 2009-11-30 14:44:41

I thought there was already a wiki
But of course the featured things were all animations so...
*Goes to Wikipedia*

Mr_X · 2009-11-30 14:48:25

Found it
Anyway, heres a quote from the featured article

Scratch Wiki wrote:
Lisa

Known to some as the F-Master, Lisa is attacked one day after school by Drake, a greendestination, and is rescued by Amy, another Destination. Amy unlocks Lisa's powers as a Heroine, and the two set out to find the remaining heroines. Lisa is irresponsible, and never prepares properly for tests, leading to her failing grades. When she transforms into a heroine, she appears in white and blue. She can use her hair ribbon as a whip, and it is revealed in episode eight that she is the Heroine Princess, and destined to marry the Prince, who turns out to be Kevin.

Things I found really funny
She's called the F-Master XD
The word Heroine because it sounds like the drug

jacool · 2009-11-30 14:48:29

Yes, I have suggested this before.
It makes it a lot easier to search for information, if I search for like 'platformer' on the forums a lot of topic from the show & tell would pop up etc.

The current wiki is not the best, it's kind of messy and there's not a lot of information.

archmage · 2009-11-30 14:49:08

Yeah, I saw that wiki. It was basically just users raving about their own projects or their friend's projects. Its pretty useless to someone who wants to build projects, but great for people who care about the scratch social scene.

Lucario621 · 2009-11-30 16:51:27

I know. That wiki was just... yeah. I made a really nice thread, called Forums, which is like the only proper thing there.

Lightnin · 2009-12-01 16:43:21

archmage wrote:
One problem I find with scratch, is that for newbies it is difficult to learn how to do things. The forums is not the best source of info because there are few help threads and the same questions are asked repeatedly. All other languages have lots of resources on how to do different things with the language which allows people to built what they want. For scratch, there is not a lot of support which makes it difficult for a beginner to make something more complex than the sample projects. A wiki would help people to efficiently get the info they need for whatever purpose?

Thoughts?

Interesting idea! smile This would take a lot of thinking through. Perhaps you could use a free wiki service to create one on the web? It's easy to make wiki, but it takes time and energy and lots of work to make one that's really helpful. That said, it'd be awesome if there were more resources for Scratchers who are just starting out.

How would you propose to organize the information? You could start outlining things on this thread, and see what everyone thinks.

andresmh · 2009-12-01 17:04:40

archmage: a wiki is a great idea! if you're interested in taking the lead in this effort of creating AND maintaining a wiki I'll be happy to help. Perhaps we can create a wiki using MediaWiki (the same software used in Wikipedia) on wiki.scratchr.org or wiki.scratch.mit.edu? Let me know.

TheSaint · 2009-12-01 17:16:48

I wouldn't mind helping the wiki project if someone started it. Sounds like a great idea Archy!

archmage · 2009-12-01 17:18:58

Thanks andres, but my university classes are keeping me pretty busy and I am not sure I have the time to manage a wiki by myself. Maybe if there were other wiki adminstrators to help with this it would work out.

I mean, I can help with a lot of it but to make most of the content and clean and maintain it seems like a lot of work.

steppenwulf · 2009-12-01 17:31:20

If you did select wiki administrators, I might be able to be one. But I'm not completely sure yet.

TheSaint · 2009-12-01 17:32:16

archmage wrote:
Thanks andres, but my university classes are keeping me pretty busy and I am not sure I have the time to manage a wiki by myself. Maybe if there were other wiki adminstrators to help with this it would work out.

I mean, I can help with a lot of it but to make most of the content and clean and maintain it seems like a lot of work.

I will help with the wiki as an admin if you needed. I am sure that others would as well.

andresmh · 2009-12-01 17:32:34

I know, we're all so busy! sad Perhaps it might be a good idea to create a wiki, then you can create the sections and seed it with a few articles. Once that is done then it can opened for a select group of editors who will add more articles.

Lucario621 · 2009-12-01 17:35:16

But keep one thing in mind. I've looked at scratch.wikia.com, and it failed, in my opinion, because people posted information on every project they had, on forum topics, and in characters of the game. You should limit it so each person can create their own page about they're scratch account (you can't make one about somebody else), and there they can put what they want about their scratch status, their projects, and hobbies. That means no pages just about projects, or anything I mentioned about how the other wiki failed...epicly.

andresmh · 2009-12-01 17:40:51

Lucario621: I think the wiki should be editable only by a few people who would use it for the kind of things archmage talked about: documentation on how to do more advanced things in Scratch. It should not be about writing personal pages (for that people can already use blogger, facebook, twitter, etc)

Perhaps, much later, it can be opened to the whole community.

TheSaint · 2009-12-01 17:44:44

I think that the wiki should be spent mostly one types of projects (ie. Platformers, animations, FPS) with a detailed description, a few techniques that are used in then and then one example. Then I think that a page should be created for techniques as well(ie. Scrolling, Animations, Velocitys) stuff like that.
I also think that a small description of the forums and history of scratch should be in there. (Maybe Chrischb's Unbreif History?) along with block useage.

I don't think that any adverts or peoples statuses should be put into the wiki because then it will turn into what that other one is, a social site, and not a resource. I also think that not everyone should be able to edit it, as it then it will inevitably become a socail site.

Just Ideas.

@Andremsh: I agree with what you said just because that will keep it a clean resource. If everyone had there own page it would become cluttered and therefore hard to use. I also think that once it is finished it should be readily accessed from the scratch website. Maybe a link from the top bar?

Last edited by TheSaint (2009-12-01 17:49:14)

Lucario621 · 2009-12-01 17:46:26

TheSaint wrote:
I think that the wiki should be spent mostly one types of projects (ie. Platformers, animations, FPS) with a detailed description, a few techniques that are used in then and then one example. Then I think that a page should be created for techniques as well(ie. Scrolling, Animations, Velocitys) stuff like that.
I also think that a small description of the forums and history of scratch should be in there. (Maybe Chrischb's Unbreif History?) along with block useage.

I don't think that any adverts or people should be put into the wiki, because then It will turn into what that other one is, a social mush. I also think that no everyone should be able to edit it, as it then to becomes a social mush.

Just Ideas.

I'm actually work on something... yikes

archmage · 2009-12-01 18:05:55

TheSaint wrote:
I think that the wiki should be spent mostly one types of projects (ie. Platformers, animations, FPS) with a detailed description, a few techniques that are used in then and then one example. Then I think that a page should be created for techniques as well(ie. Scrolling, Animations, Velocitys) stuff like that.
I also think that a small description of the forums and history of scratch should be in there. (Maybe Chrischb's Unbreif History?) along with block useage.

I don't think that any adverts or peoples statuses should be put into the wiki because then it will turn into what that other one is, a social site, and not a resource. I also think that not everyone should be able to edit it, as it then it will inevitably become a socail site.

Just Ideas.

@Andremsh: I agree with what you said just because that will keep it a clean resource. If everyone had there own page it would become cluttered and therefore hard to use. I also think that once it is finished it should be readily accessed from the scratch website. Maybe a link from the top bar?

Well there would be tutorials on making specific types of projects but generally it be similar to this wiki http://gpwiki.org/ with resources on how to program and make art.

Magnie · 2009-12-01 20:58:17

So this wiki won't be free for all users to edit and add to?

NiteHaunt · 2009-12-01 21:11:02

I think that only mods,admins, scratch team members, and MIT users should be allowed to post, If everybody was allowed to go on, it would risk being a MADHOUSE.
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Who wants to vote for some Scratch Wiki posters?

<when green flag clicked>
<forever>
R.I.P. To SPAMMERS
<end>

Last edited by NiteHaunt (2009-12-01 21:12:44)

TheSaint · 2009-12-02 06:34:10

Magnie wrote:
So this wiki won't be free for all users to edit and add to?

In the begining, it would not. People would just create pages about themselves, or use their own projects a million times as examples. Maybe later in its course it could be opened up to more people though. Its up to Archmage and the Scratch Team to decide.

Dibbo222 · 2009-12-02 07:34:46

I think there should be some sort of way for all members to submit an article for review by assigned article reviewers. These article reviewers could then pass on the 'decent' articles to people like archmage and andresmh who can then further review, finalise and publish the articles to the wiki.

PS. I would be happy to make articles for the wiki. (I think I could do a very good job at it)

Magnie · 2009-12-02 10:20:39

I already know that it could start with chaos... But I like Dibbo's idea, I could be an Article Reviewer, but needing further reviewing might not be a good idea... It would take a day for someone's article got put on the page...

technoguyx · 2009-12-02 10:21:48

I support Dibbo's idea too smile

TheSaint · 2009-12-02 16:06:56

I also support Dibbo's idea, once the main setup has been introduced. However, if that does happen, we will need many reviewers depending on how entusiastic the Scratch Community is with submitting.

Scratch

archived forums

#1 2009-11-30 14:42:17

A proper scratch wiki

#2 2009-11-30 14:44:41

Re: A proper scratch wiki

#3 2009-11-30 14:48:25

Re: A proper scratch wiki

Scratch Wiki wrote:

#4 2009-11-30 14:48:29

Re: A proper scratch wiki

#5 2009-11-30 14:49:08

Re: A proper scratch wiki

#6 2009-11-30 16:51:27

Re: A proper scratch wiki

#7 2009-12-01 16:43:21

Re: A proper scratch wiki

archmage wrote:

#8 2009-12-01 17:04:40

Re: A proper scratch wiki

#9 2009-12-01 17:16:48

Re: A proper scratch wiki

#10 2009-12-01 17:18:58

Re: A proper scratch wiki

#11 2009-12-01 17:31:20

Re: A proper scratch wiki

#12 2009-12-01 17:32:16

Re: A proper scratch wiki

archmage wrote:

#13 2009-12-01 17:32:34

Re: A proper scratch wiki

#14 2009-12-01 17:35:16

Re: A proper scratch wiki

#15 2009-12-01 17:40:51

Re: A proper scratch wiki

#16 2009-12-01 17:44:44

Re: A proper scratch wiki

#17 2009-12-01 17:46:26

Re: A proper scratch wiki

TheSaint wrote:

#18 2009-12-01 18:05:55

Re: A proper scratch wiki

TheSaint wrote:

#19 2009-12-01 20:58:17

Re: A proper scratch wiki

#20 2009-12-01 21:11:02

Re: A proper scratch wiki

#21 2009-12-02 06:34:10

Re: A proper scratch wiki

Magnie wrote:

#22 2009-12-02 07:34:46

Re: A proper scratch wiki

#23 2009-12-02 10:20:39

Re: A proper scratch wiki

#24 2009-12-02 10:21:48

Re: A proper scratch wiki

#25 2009-12-02 16:06:56

Re: A proper scratch wiki

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