This thread and writing prompt rotator uses PHP to provide up to 5 different ideas for threads for roleplayers in a group. This can be a great way to get your roleplayers interacting with each other in a group, and it can encourage participation in recurring themes the group experiences.
Using the Prompt Rotator
The prompt rotator uses PHP. You will probably not be able to slap it onto a forum and get it going in a topic. Most forums prevent the parsing of PHP because it can be a dangerous/malicious language in the wrong hands and the wrong place — a forum is one of those places. Happily, however, you’ll be able to run your thread prompt rotator on any web host that uses PHP. If your forum uses PHP, you can create a file on your website to display your thread prompts.
Tips for Writing Prompts
Think of ways the following might change the way things normally operate in your group:
- Seasons, weather, holidays
- Visiting groups of NPCs, migrations of animals
- Features of the group’s territory or homeland (e.g., do they need upkeep, stocking, fixing?)
Modifying the Prompt Rotator
You can change the frequency of prompt rotation by using the php Date function.
You will have to add further cases for your different dates — for example, if you wanted weekly thread prompts, you’d have to make “cases” in the switch statement for all 52 weeks in the year. If you wanted daily thread prompts, you’d have to make 365 (+1 for leap year) cases in the switch statement for all 365 days in the year.
