The Gaming Den

I am looking for wiki software and after poking around a bit, have not been able to sort out the myriad options out there. I am hoping someone here can provide some help. The intent of the wiki is to use it for creation and editing of game rules, so the number of users able to edit the pages will be small but I expect to have in excess of 1000 pages in total.

Here are my requirements/desires rated in order of importance:

1. runs atop https (shouldn't be an issue but just for completeness)
2. offers a basic security management system (log in to edit)
3. installs locally ( I have my own server)
4. ability to provide major content updates via a scripting language
5. backed by PostgreSQL (Not a fan of MySQL and don't like proprietary storage mechanisms)
6. WYSIWYG editing w/ standard wiki edit tags (no html my users aren't all that great with it)
7. skinnable/customizable for look and feel without massive effort

That is about it. If you have any other suggestions or things I should definitely consider/not consider then please feel free to add those as well.

MediaWiki should be able to do what you want.

1. Yep.
2. Can do this.
3. Yep. (It has to be hosted somewhere, obviously).
4. Not quite sure what you mean by this, but it has a great API for running bots.
5. Has been able to use PostgreSQL since 1.7.
6. Can do WYSIWYG and not WYSIWYG with edit tags. It invented the edit tags.
7. You can see the various customizations people have done on various wikias, mine included.

I use it for the Dungeons & Dragons wiki, http://dungeons.wikia.com, if you want to check that out and see if you'd want to do something similar to what I've done there.

You got a comma in your link there Surgo.

Surgo wrote:4. Not quite sure what you mean by this, but it has a great API for running bots.

Well, I will likely be starting with the SRD spell list for example, and I would like to bulk insert this information into the underlying database or find some way to script it from my source files into the wiki. What I want to avoid is hand entering a huge amount of data. Any process in any language that allows me that is great by me.

As far as mediawiki goes, I came across that one in my initial search. Isn't it the basis for Wikipedia? How is its complexity - I don't mind complex software config if it is worth it, but I want to get the base engine running so I can focus on what really matters. I spend too much time trying to get technology working during my day job, so I just want something that goes on relatively painlessly and lets me work sooner rather than later.

Oh, I should mention that I will be running atop WinXP32 with Apache (my main site runs off apache, not sure if the wiki's need a server as well or they do that themselves).

Thanks for the help!

Lich-Loved wrote:Well, I will likely be starting with the SRD spell list for example, and I would like to bulk insert this information into the underlying database or find some way to script it from my source files into the wiki. What I want to avoid is hand entering a huge amount of data. Any process in any language that allows me that is great by me.

MediaWiki has an API that is basically controlled by query strings in the HTML you call (like api.php?prop1=value&prop2=value etc.), and returns XML or JSON as a response. You can use this to insert and edit data, as well as move data. I use a pretty simple Perl wrapper over these calls to do a lot of botting work, but there are a few frameworks for it that vary between "just a wrapper" (what I use) and "hide everything from the user" (pywikimediabot).

MediaWiki is the basis for Wikipedia. It is reasonably complex, as it is a powerful piece of software, but a lot of that complexity is wrapped up in optional extensions that you can install. You'll probably spend most of your time deciding on a layout / color scheme / etc. that works for you. You can also seriously just use Wikia for hosting and it takes care of most of the server-end tasks for you, if you're willing to give back-end administration to someone else to do (that was a really hard choice for me, and one I might be regretting).

Might I ask what information you're actually planning on hosting? Like, what sort of game rules? It can make a big difference in what kind of wiki you want.

I am doing a fairly big 3.5 modification. It will include spell rewrites new spells new classes new spellcasting rules monster conversions and the like. In addition I will be setting up pages for specific game worlds campaigns races and whatnot using these rules or the RAW.

Okay. Well, I have the entire SRD already formatted for my own wiki so if you want a 3000-page import there I can probably oblige you.

You could also host your modification on my own wiki if you so desire, which has the advantage of already being set up and usable and the disadvantage of not being your own wiki.

MediaWiki works perfectly for projects like you described.

Yes I considered your wiki. I think it looks great btw. From what I read on your main page,you were analyzing the posted rules for balance; I am not sure if such a major rewrite with the goal of being internally balanced but not balanced relative to the rest of the rules posted by others would work on the site.

It does work on the site, the point is that it's consistent (in this case, internally consistent).