3

This question from 2012 asked about adding specific version tags to , such as .

The accepted answer uses an example from StackOverflow, where it was brought up that the "Java" tag is much more popular than the "Java-ee-6" tag.

I personally see this reasoning as way too specific to StackOverflow. Differences in versions of programming languages are generally related to available features. Code written for C# 5 will most likely work perfectly fine in a C# 7 compiler.

Games such as Warhammer 40k are vastly different. The entire game system is overhauled from edition to edition, and answers will be completely incompatible, depending on the version in question. For instance, this question would have completely different answers, depending if it is played in eighth edition or seventh edition.

One example of this being used is RPG.se, where specific tags are created for specific versions of games, such as Dungeons and Dragons, because a question asked by a player intending to play 5th Edition may have a radically different answer than someone playing 3.5E.

As such, I am asking if the view on game version tags has changed over the past few years? Does the community consider version-specific tags to be valuable or add clutter?


Edit: In regards to confusion when using multiple tags. I suggest the following info for :

In the grim darkness of the far future, there is only war. Warhammer 40,000 is a detailed futuristic table-top battle simulation. Use this tag for questions about the tabletop game. Consider including version-specific tags, such as , if your question is about a specific version of the game.

And likewise for :

The eighth edition of . Use this tag when asking questions specific to the eighth edition of the game. If your question is generic enough to be applicable to multiple editions, do not include this tag.

2 Answers 2

1

I would strongly disagree with your assumption that the entire game system is overhauled from edition to edition and there are things that remain the same across all editions of a game.

The main issue and argument against those tags is they are not always needed and can be confusing as when to use and may cause users to use an incorrect edition version or use multiple version tags when it is not needed.

As for your example question I am not knowledgeable to know if there is a difference due to different editions but the user who asked the question provided no information about which one they are asking about so for all we know it might not even been 7th or 8th editions.

If you have a question that applies to a specific version it can be added if needed but as was said in the past it should be avoided if not needed.

Think of it this way if you are looking for warhammer-40k information it becomes a lot harder to find the more edition tags that are added.

5
  • 2
    I personally assume that when someone provides no information regarding edition, the most recent edition is meant. The problem is that this information shifts with time, so if someone has the same problem, but three years later and a new edition later, the answer is effectively obsolete.
    – MechMK1
    Jun 6, 2019 at 8:41
  • @MechMK1 That is a bad assumption to make as they may not even realize that there are editions after the version they have. I personally have been surprised some of my games are not the latest version as I expected. Sure you can and probably should answer based on the latest but that may not be the version they need.
    – Joe W
    Jun 6, 2019 at 12:32
  • Yes, in which case it would make sense to write the version in question either in the question, or as a tag. Writing it as tag has the advantage that it makes it more easily searchable. I personally don't agree on the fact that adding tags makes it harder to find. A question tagged as [warhammer-40k] and [warhammer-40k-7e] is perfectly reasonable. A question tagged just as [warhammer-40k] seems a general question about the game, not specific to one system.
    – MechMK1
    Jun 6, 2019 at 12:35
  • @MechMK1 Writing the version used in the answer would work. However adding the version to the question if the OP did not indicate it somewhere could prevent others from answering with a different version that turns out to be what they want. A good solution is to ask the OP what version it is especially when it makes a difference.
    – Joe W
    Jun 6, 2019 at 13:00
  • Yes, I agree with you. But in my opinion, tags serve the purpose of making questions more searchable. Information added in the question body is not as neatly structured as in the tags. As far as I understand your point, you believe that it adds more clutter and confusion from people using the wrong tags. My experience from other sites is that that is not the case.
    – MechMK1
    Jun 6, 2019 at 13:02
0

This is the policy on the RPG SE, and I think it should be the policy here, as well, for the same reasons.

I was actually about to ask this question myself, when I saw this one pop up in the "related questions" box. I think that having a policy that is so different between such similar SE sites is likely to be confusing to new users, as is the fact that the "Related Questions" sidebar in Warhammer 40k includes questions about radically different editions; the rules of Warhammer 40k 7th Edition are vastly different to the rules of 8th Edition, to such an extent that they're almost entirely different games.

I also think it might be worthwhile to discuss whether or not we should adopt RPG.SE's policy of closing any new questions that lack the appropriate edition tag - there are arguments for it (e.g. optimizing for good questions), and also arguments against it (e.g. new user inclusiveness). You can see their most recent discussion about this policy here.

Of course, the vast majority of questions here are about Magic: the Gathering, where this wouldn't apply, but I think that this would be a useful way of explicitly defining questions for games where it does.

8
  • How would we know if it lacks an appointee edition tag?
    – Joe W
    Apr 9, 2020 at 0:01
  • If it's clearly asking about rules, and it doesn't include a tag that specifies an edition, or if it lacks a tag specifying any system at all.
    – nick012000
    Apr 9, 2020 at 0:03
  • My point is how do you know that edition is needed? Most games on here it won't matter for so having editions for those tags are pointless.
    – Joe W
    Apr 9, 2020 at 0:06
  • @JoeW We'll know that it's needed because they're miniature wargames, or other games with significant differences between editions.
    – nick012000
    Apr 9, 2020 at 0:12
  • So we would have to have a predefined list that we agree on needs version specific tags? Considering this question has gotten 43 views in 10 months I am not sure we can get a list we agree on.
    – Joe W
    Apr 9, 2020 at 0:18
  • @JoeW "So we would have to have a predefined list that we agree on needs version specific tags?" Yes, that is basically what I'm proposing. I'm proposing that we make a policy that all systems with significant rules differences get different tags for them, and then we can agree on what those systems are on a case-by-case basis.
    – nick012000
    Apr 9, 2020 at 0:22
  • I would note, the reason warhammer didn't get one back in 2012 was because it had 21 questions. in 2020 it only has 132 questions questions so I think it still doesn't warrant version tags.
    – Joe W
    Apr 9, 2020 at 0:31
  • We should have to have a good reason to close a question from a new user because of a lack of version tags and there doesn't appear to be any tags on the site where this is a problem
    – Joe W
    Apr 9, 2020 at 0:32

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .