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I'm relatively new to wargaming and 40k in general, having been here only for a few months, but thanks to Dakka and a few books I *ahem* found, I'm kind of up to speed on the shenanigans happening in the galaxy. However... there's a lot of ground to cover, and some sources weren't credible. What I'm trying to say is that even though there is lot of content online, not all of it is great... and the sheer volume of stuff can overwhelm people.

I was thinking, why don't we all get together and make a 40k guide? It'd have essential knowledge that would be good for new players to know, and I'd write it up in a way that won't scare or push people away. We could put our own army pictures on it, talk about our races, praise the Emperor, etc. I'd like to know what things would be good for someone to know- picture a person completely foreign to this game that doesn't even know who (heresy) the Emperor is.

I think that if we find out what to write and make a nice PDF or something for people to download, we can inform people at least of the basics of 40k.

What would be the advantage of this compared to just using 1d4chan?

Sounds better than the bs Geedub puke out.

I'm in.

 Squidmanlolz wrote:
What would be the advantage of this compared to just using 1d4chan?

Go to Dropbox. Download PDF. Read. You are now a loyal Imperium citizen. People that hesitate at asking questions or whatever won't have to, all that they'll have to do is simply... read.

I'm not having any delusions about how great this will be, I'm just saying that this bible could be the bridge between knowing nothing and immersing yourself in a data repository like the codexes or 1d4chan. Think baby steps... I mean, it's not like people want to ask questions like " What's an Eldar?" or "What is this Chaos you speak of?". This bible would have stuff like, who the races are, who the Emperor is, what the Horus Heresy is, some basic 40k slang, and maybe go on to other topics like who the Primarchs are (in detail, since the HH will cover them), how to make a Space Marine, and whatever else you guys think.

What about Lexicanum? That's quite reliable AFAIK.

Dont we already have this in the form of 1D4chan?

 Sgt_Smudge wrote:
What about Lexicanum? That's quite reliable AFAIK.

I was thinking more of a small introductory guide instead of an encyclopedia. Something akin to a political brochure for a candidate, something with good, quick info that explains basic stuff new people need to know in a friendly manner.

The lexicanum is a wiki page as opposed to a book with a clear sense of direction. Its great as an encyclopedia but just like Wikipedia, you can get lost if you're looking for a beginning, middle and end across various articles. Thats something we can do, concentrate the important articles into a sequential order that will help the reader understand better.

http://warhammer40k.wikia.com/wiki/Warhammer_40k_Wiki

This is the site I use for lore/anything I can't find on Dakka...user friendly and rather detailed.

GW already makes this. There are 2 books. The Uplifting Primer and Munitorum Manuel. Essential reading to understand the truth of the 40k universe.

 Grey Templar wrote:
GW already makes this. There are 2 books. The Uplifting Primer and Munitorum Manuel. Essential reading to understand the truth of the 40k universe.

Are they free?

Why does that matter?

 urbanknight4 wrote:
I'm relatively new to wargaming and 40k in general, having been here only for a few months, but thanks to Dakka and a few books I *ahem* found, I'm kind of up to speed on the shenanigans happening in the galaxy. However... there's a lot of ground to cover, and some sources weren't credible. What I'm trying to say is that even though there is lot of content online, not all of it is great... and the sheer volume of stuff can overwhelm people.

I was thinking, why don't we all get together and make a 40k guide? It'd have essential knowledge that would be good for new players to know, and I'd write it up in a way that won't scare or push people away. We could put our own army pictures on it, talk about our races, praise the Emperor, etc. I'd like to know what things would be good for someone to know- picture a person completely foreign to this game that doesn't even know who (heresy) the Emperor is.

I think that if we find out what to write and make a nice PDF or something for people to download, we can inform people at least of the basics of 40k.

One of the best aspects to the fluff of 40K is that it has no "bible" and none of it is canon. The setting is designed for the individual fan to interpret it however he/she likes, create their own spin on it, interpret it in their own way and make it their own. The best you could really do with this sort of project is a pamphlet that provides a brief introduction to the various factions/armies/races and a general "vibe" on how things work... but, even then, you'd end up making some judgement calls that aren't necessarily "true" to the vision others might have.

You could, perhaps, provide a *very* general overview of the armies and such, but beyond that and you're getting into fan-fic/personal-interpretation territory.

There's a very very old text file floating around called "the fluff Bible" which is filled with weird and old fluff from roughly the turn of 3rd edition.

Yes. One could update the old fluff bible.
But I don't think Dakka is the place for it. We would need agreement, and on Dakka, we never agree.

I also really don't think it is necessary. If you want low-level humorous introduction to 40k there is 1d4chan, if you want canon information there is lexicanum and if you want lots of details (and dont mind fan fiction) there is 40kwiki.

What do we need a new fluff bible for?

 j31c3n wrote:
There's a very very old text file floating around called "the fluff Bible" which is filled with weird and old fluff from roughly the turn of 3rd edition.

I think I still have it in fact

 Iron_Captain wrote:
Yes. One could update the old fluff bible.
But I don't think Dakka is the place for it. We would need agreement, and on Dakka, we never agree.

I also really don't think it is necessary. If you want low-level humorous introduction to 40k there is 1d4chan, if you want canon information there is lexicanum and if you want lots of details (and dont mind fan fiction) there is 40kwiki.

What do we need a new fluff bible for?

Its not a fluff Bible, or anything rivaling the Lexicanum, nor anything that would be considered fan fiction or excessive fluff. Its literally the essential things you'd need to know if you know absolutely nothing about this. I'm going to be stating facts, but also opinions from the perspective of each race. Example:

The Emperor is the god-corpse the Imperium rallies behind in a crusade to exterminate alien life and assume humanity's rightful place as conquerors of the galaxy.

The Tau Greater Good is a philosophy where each individual is respected and valued as they provide their skills in a position that will benefit their society best.

There are things that people need to know that would take too much time or inconvenience otherwise. Going on 1d4chan is great, but some people prefer manuals or reading as opposed to asking people online or reading long texts via an encyclopedia.

... both of those things are opinions, not facts.

 Psienesis wrote:
... both of those things are opinions, not facts.

So it's my opinion that the Imperium rallies behind the Emperor, and that he has been called a God-corpse? And it's also my opinion that the Greater Good is what I said it is? Dude, that's literally what the codexes say. An opinion is "Humanity has a rightful place as conqueror of the galaxy." A fact is stating something that is undeniable. I don't understand why everyone is so against me doing this.

 urbanknight4 wrote:

 Psienesis wrote:
... both of those things are opinions, not facts.

So it's my opinion that the Imperium rallies behind the Emperor, and that he has been called a God-corpse? And it's also my opinion that the Greater Good is what I said it is? Dude, that's literally what the codexes say. An opinion is "Humanity has a rightful place as conqueror of the galaxy." A fact is stating something that is undeniable. I don't understand why everyone is so against me doing this.

Well, yes. The Emperor is never called a 'God-corpse' he is usually called the Carrion Lord or just a corpse (by Chaos).
Also, it is very much debatable whether the Greater Good is a philosophy, a political ideology or a religion. It also never says anything about each individual being respected and valued. Rather, all the codex says is that it is about setting aside differences and working together for the benefit of the Tau Empire and combining the strenght of the many different species of Tau to overcome its many weaknesses.

Also, no one is against you doing this. Some of use just don't see how it is necessary. If you want to do it, go ahead, and maybe people will benefit from it. I can't speak for others, neither can anyone else here, so don't let us stop you.

Yeah I really don't see the benefit of compiling such a thing - "40k Flashcards?" It seems like a waste of time to me. But if you want to do it, knock yourself out. I'll keep getting my fluff in the asinine 15 year old style from 1d4chan because that's what I like.

 urbanknight4 wrote:

 Psienesis wrote:
... both of those things are opinions, not facts.

So it's my opinion that the Imperium rallies behind the Emperor, and that he has been called a God-corpse? And it's also my opinion that the Greater Good is what I said it is? Dude, that's literally what the codexes say. An opinion is "Humanity has a rightful place as conqueror of the galaxy." A fact is stating something that is undeniable. I don't understand why everyone is so against me doing this.

This, especially, is opinion:

The Tau Greater Good is a philosophy where each individual is respected and valued as they provide their skills in a position that will benefit their society best.

We have little to indicate that the Tau value individuals excepting where they fit, like cogs, into the machine that is their caste-based society. We have no indications that a given Etheral gives a feth about the individual Fire Warriors who must die pushing the expansion of the Tau Empire, excepting that the Ethereal understands that they are not a limitless resource. The individual is valued only so long as they fit within their caste and its role in Tau society. If they do not? They then appear to have no use or function to Tau society.