On average two to three new cubes get posted here on MTG salvation each and every day. Most of these threads consist of nothing but a list of 360-720 cards. And as a result they get 5-6 posts before they fade into obscurity. I know I've spent quite a bit of time on my cube and I want to give it the best chance of showing it off.
I like to think that my cube thread is a good example of what a thread should look like, so I have made a FAQ to presenting your cube better.
What to include
The most obvious thing that you have to include is a list of your cube.
It is also important to somehow classify what you are doing with your cube. One of the posters here (WTwlf123 I believe) developed a simple list that you can post at the front of your thread. I encourage you to use that list. The list will be included in the .txt documents attached to this post.
Pictures or No Pictures?
If you have the ability to, always try to include pictures of your cube. Many people (like me) understand a visual presentation much better than a text-only presentation. Pictures are not a replacement for a well designed thread, but they do add quite a bit.
Formatting
This is one of the big things that gets people. Most people are decent enough to split the list of cards into the 8 big sections (White, blue, black, red, green, artifact, multicolor, land). But after that there are quite are two main ways you can sub-divide your cube from that point. And I suggest that you do at-least one of them. It really isn't important how you divide the information as long as you do infact divide the information.
In both sorting methods you should separate your Spells from your creatures. Then divide your creatures into the corresponding converted mana cost.
In the first method you also seperate your spells into their respective converted mana cost. The main advantage to this is you can easily see the mana curve for your entire cube.
In the second method you separate your spells into their respective spell types. Instants with Instants, Sorceries with Sorceries. This is the method that I prefer to use. I find it easier to read.
After that most people chose to separate the Multicolored cards into sections by color pairs.
Also, I can not stress this enough. Learn how to use deck, card, and spoiler tags. They are quite simple to use
If you want to creature a spoiler simply place the text in between the following tags (without the *'s of course)
[spoiler*]Text[*/spoiler]
That will appear like this when you post
Text
If you want to have a spoiler inside of the spoiler simply wrap the entire thing in another set of spoiler tags.
[spoiler*]This is how it will look
[spoiler*]Like this[/spoiler*][/spoiler*]
That will look like this when you post
This is how it will look
like this
If you wish to have the spoiler have a tile like presented in the first spoiler, simply replace the first [*spoiler] tag with [*spoiler=Spoiler Title]
If you are able to master spoiler tags, Card tags are quite simple.
Now lets say you want to divide up your list, like having all your 1 casting cost creatures by themselves. That is simple. Any text without a number will be bolded and not linked to. So for example.
[*deck]
One CMC
1 Savannah Lions
1 Isamaru, Hound of Konda
1 Elite Vanguard
[*/card]
Now lets say you want to leave a comment after a card, this is simple. Any text written after a card name but put into parenthesies will not be linked to. For instance
Correct Order
This might just be a petpeave of mine, but know the proper order of magic colors. The correct order is
White
Blue
Black
Red
Green
Just look at the back of a magic card for this one. It is also the order they place cards in
Try including some of these things to Spice up your list
*A list of common cube cards that you are not playing.
*A defense of some of the unusual cards you are playing.
*An introduction and explanation of what you want your overall cube and each of the individual sections to accomplish.
*A few sample packs where forum goers can list the picks that they would take. You can either use true random packs, or doctor the packs to make them more interesting.
*A photo shoot of your cards, we cubers love to see some pimp.
*A changelog so people can see how your cube has evolved over time.
On average two to three new cubes get posted here on MTG salvation each and every day. Most of these threads consist of nothing but a list of 360-720 cards. And as a result they get 5-6 posts before they fade into obscurity. I know I've spent quite a bit of time on my cube and I want to give it the best chance of showing it off.
I like to think that my cube thread is a good example of what a thread should look like, so I have made a FAQ to presenting your cube better.
What to include
The most obvious thing that you have to include is a list of your cube.
It is also important to somehow classify what you are doing with your cube. One of the posters here (WTwlf123 I believe) developed a simple list that you can post at the front of your thread. I encourage you to use that list. The list will be included in the .txt documents attached to this post.
Pictures or No Pictures?
If you have the ability to, always try to include pictures of your cube. Many people (like me) understand a visual presentation much better than a text-only presentation. Pictures are not a replacement for a well designed thread, but they do add quite a bit.
Formatting
This is one of the big things that gets people. Most people are decent enough to split the list of cards into the 8 big sections (White, blue, black, red, green, artifact, multicolor, land). But after that there are quite are two main ways you can sub-divide your cube from that point. And I suggest that you do at-least one of them. It really isn't important how you divide the information as long as you do infact divide the information.
In both sorting methods you should separate your Spells from your creatures. Then divide your creatures into the corresponding converted mana cost.
In the first method you also seperate your spells into their respective converted mana cost. The main advantage to this is you can easily see the mana curve for your entire cube.
In the second method you separate your spells into their respective spell types. Instants with Instants, Sorceries with Sorceries. This is the method that I prefer to use. I find it easier to read.
After that most people chose to separate the Multicolored cards into sections by color pairs.
Also, I can not stress this enough. Learn how to use deck, card, and spoiler tags. They are quite simple to use
If you want to creature a spoiler simply place the text in between the following tags (without the *'s of course)
[spoiler*]Text[*/spoiler]
That will appear like this when you post
If you want to have a spoiler inside of the spoiler simply wrap the entire thing in another set of spoiler tags.
[spoiler*]This is how it will look
[spoiler*]Like this[/spoiler*][/spoiler*]
That will look like this when you post
If you wish to have the spoiler have a tile like presented in the first spoiler, simply replace the first [*spoiler] tag with [*spoiler=Spoiler Title]
If you are able to master spoiler tags, Card tags are quite simple.
Simply wrap the name of the card in card tags.
[card*]Black Lotus[*/card]
Will appear as
Black Lotus
IF you wish to have the text same something else, but link to the card simply use the following format.
[card*=Black Lotus]This thing is Awesome![/*card]
will appear as
This thing is Awesome!
And finally, deck tags
Deck tags are simple, but require a bit of specific formatting.
First of all type up the list of cards you want in the following format
1 Card
1 Card
1 Card
and then wrap the text in [*deck] and [*/deck]
so the above list would be written
[*deck]
1 Card
1 Card
1 Card
[/*deck]
that would appear as
1 card
1 Card
[*deck]
One CMC
1 Savannah Lions
1 Isamaru, Hound of Konda
1 Elite Vanguard
[*/card]
Will appear as
1 Savannah Lions
1 Isamaru, Hound of Konda
1 Elite Vanguard
[*deck]
One CMC
1 Savannah Lions (ROAR!)
[*/deck]
Will appear as
1 Savanah Lions (ROAR!)
So this
[*Deck=White Creatures]
1 Isamaru, Hound of Konda
1 Savanah Lions (ROAR!)
1 Elite Vanguard
[*/deck]
Will turn into
1 Savanah Lions (ROAR!)
1 Elite Vanguard
Correct Order
This might just be a petpeave of mine, but know the proper order of magic colors. The correct order is
White
Blue
Black
Red
Green
Just look at the back of a magic card for this one. It is also the order they place cards in
Try including some of these things to Spice up your list
*A list of common cube cards that you are not playing.
*A defense of some of the unusual cards you are playing.
*An introduction and explanation of what you want your overall cube and each of the individual sections to accomplish.
*A few sample packs where forum goers can list the picks that they would take. You can either use true random packs, or doctor the packs to make them more interesting.
*A photo shoot of your cards, we cubers love to see some pimp.
*A changelog so people can see how your cube has evolved over time.
Calvin and Hobbes
Cube Tutor