It's definitely something that we've mapped out for the future. However, it's not something that we'll realistically have in place relatively soon. We'll be doing another user survey a little while after the Content Market rolls out, at which point we'll be seeking user feedback on what capabilities are most important for us to focus on next.
Yes, I've noticed that using the tabs to flip back and forth on my content for comparison/editing was fluid and good. But what I was trying to portray was in HL a base set of system content that you don't want to (or often can't) change and leave alone, but that a 2nd instance of HL holding the modified bit of content that has its own data file.
I.E. using Pathfinder core files, looking at how the core system does something, then loading up the editor and creating a user specific set of files that get loaded into a player's HL file with the .user extension.
But from what I take from your reply is that RW is basically a different animal all together since each realm is a custom creation from the word go. It does make me wonder how the content market interacts then, however if I understand everything I've read on it is that once imported, one adds custom snippets and now that content becomes your unique content with one's custom spins not having any effect on the file hosted on the content market. Which is really cool stuff btw, looking forward to seeing it.
(also, i got to ask, does LWD plan on creating future RW content that they acquire licenses for such as Golarion or Shadowrun world setting, etc? that one can purchase, intergrate into one's master-realm file and then customize?)
As for the future of collaboration. I understand, get one thing down and working smoothly first and then build on it, and I'll definitely be looking forward to seeing it go live. Just sometimes i want my toys now darnnit!
I do want to embed mechanics in story content. That way skill checks, spells and mobs are identified as having information available.
If we can get a different color for mechanics links, that would be super-duper helpful. That way we could discern the two types of content.
Even better would be customizable link colors as I'd love mobs and NPCs to be the same color.
I do the same thing as Aeiou does, perhaps I'm a little OCD here but my masterfile is a growing data base of system info, particularly since HL doesn't have an Exalted data-pack. This lets me integrate any errata that comes out and puts it all into one library of data so my players don't have to hunt through errata docs. I've been digging into customizing the links via case sensitivity and when it builds link to reduce the number of links in one article going to the same place due to grammar rules being in play, I've learned a thing or two about the menu of choices when building links. All cool stuff.
And briefly, I'd heartily welcome color coding to link, while custom coloring would of course be nice, I'd be happy with just general colors such as Blue leads to the World Almanac, Green = Story Almanac, Red = Mechanic Ref, just so that with a mere glance you know where those links have their containers.
Other Q's
I do seem however, to be operating under a flawed assumption with topic titles and link detection.
My assumption is that every character in the topic title helps make it a unique thing. I.E. Terrestrial vs Terrestrial-, vs Terrestrial-Breeding. Each as a separate topic title/article will have the auto-link detection pick up on the differences. But this is turning out not to be the case, or perhaps it would be but I'm not using the settings correctly.
Right now, if I let the links create by themselves, RW makes no distinction between them, all 3 point at the same thing and it doesn't even offer me a choice of which container to choose from, it points at the alias of "Terrestrial" es the only option. I have to create a custom link to the article I want the link pointing to.
So my question would be this: Does RW notice the difference in link detection with certain characters or even letter casing within a topic as separate thinks to link to?
A current example:
Topic Title = "Terrestrial" (used as an alias to the topic Dragon-Blooded, case matching = sensitive, Priority = normal)
Any text that uses "Terestrial" links to the Dragon-Blooded topic automatically upon approval (this is as I wish it to).
Topic Title = "Terrestrial-" (with the hyphen)
Is desired to link to a different topic containing the hypen in the topic title, but instead links to article on Dragon-Blooded, the link created sees and marks as blue the word "Terrestrial" but ignores the hyphen forcing me to customize where it points at
Topic Title = "TerrestrialX"
Is desired to auto-link to a yet another different topic containing the capital X on the end, instead it connects to the topic Dragon-Blooded just like it does with a hyphen on the end. No choices pop up to choose between "Terrestrial" or "TerrestrialX"
Up till now, I thought case sensitive assigned via F7 "Manage Names would do the trick, for both the use of a hyphen (or any other symbol for that matter) or using upper case characters in the topic title, but this doesn't seem to be the case. What would be the recommend best practice for handling something like this?
Quick Note: My use of these terms is based on the desire to have Dragon-Blooded as a topic, Terrestrial as an alias to Dragon-Blooded, and a merit that a given Dragon-Blooded can buy called Terrestrial Breeding that grants specific enhancements depending on the investment. I like to keep all the merits of the game, regardless of race, under the topic container of "Merits". So putting this under a snippet in the Dragon-Blooded article goes counter to this intent.