Quality Control?

[Caliostro]

Is it possible to have some quality control in the maps section? I don't mean "ELITISM! IF YOUR MAP IS NOT GODDAMN PERFECT WE'LL HUNT YOU DOWN AND KILL YOU....TWICE!". I mean, if a map's obviously terrible from start to finish, if the creator obviously didn't even bother making an effort, can we just close it, post a link to the "mapping tutorials and resources" post and get on with it?

Maybe I'm at the wrong mindset here, but I honestly don't think [ame=http://forums.tf2maps.net/showthread.php?t=9931]shit[/ame] [ame=http://forums.tf2maps.net/showthread.php?t=9717]like[/ame] [ame=http://forums.tf2maps.net/showthread.php?t=9704]this[/ame] really belongs here...

Now, some maps aren't that good, some are pretty bad, but there's a difference between [ame=http://forums.tf2maps.net/showthread.php?t=9805]someone just learning the ropes and just generally being new at this[/ame] and someone who doesn't give two shits... [see previous examples].

It's particularly striking in [ame=http://forums.tf2maps.net/showthread.php?t=9931]the first example[/ame] where we're actually expected to take it seriously. Really...? ...REALLY?

What do you want me to say if I take it seriously? "This is terrible, it has absolutely no redeeming features whatsoever. Try spending more than 2 minutes in hammer before releasing something."? Or is the flood of sarcastic "BEST MAP EVUR!!", "SHULD B OFFICAL!" posts that much better than anything else someone might post?

So yeah, can we just lock these when they pop up? Not the genuine posts by new mappers, but just the downright terrible troll posts?

[Acumen]

i think topics like these have been discussed as long as mapping forums exist
i think, as much as such threads might annoy people that are over the first mapping hurdles, there's still no reason to censore stuff as harsh as you describe it.

someone will post some help or whatnot and people might work harder after some feedback. i don't know, i could go on forever on this topic and i bet 100 others as well, but in the end it would be just that "being elitist" and judging people's beginner's work.

i mean, why did this map receive even 3 pages at all ? people could just not bother and forbear posting. the thread will disappear and everyone would be happy. instead people could offer help to the others obvisouly trying much more.
problem is, that it's such a repetetive topic. i bet you'll find at least 10 threads like yours, where people thought about a system of taking out weird maps with not too much effort.

i'm totally against such a quality control thing. there's a certain rule set in this forum and as long as people work along these lines, they should be allowed their maps no matter what quality. and the community should be able to see where a thread starter benefits from feedback and where it's just better to don't write anything at all, so the thread slowly disappears in the forums cave :o

[The Political Gamer]

Or we could just not post. :/

[grazr]

At the moment there a certain circumstances that are deeming a lock for a thread, and on one occasion so far, a ban. But systematically locking threads because they don't meet our standards is the wrong way to look at it for a community that is here to educate individuals.

The moderators will lock threads they deem necassery and have thus far been doing a fine job of doing it case by case.

[Armadillo of Doom]

It's a tough call, and there are good points on both sides. However, simply locking submissions like the ones mentioned would not show the authors how to improve. I think Acumen summed it up very nicely. The reason those maps exist at all is b/c people are inclined to write 3 pages of sarcastic 1-liners. Link the Tutorial section, give one sentence about why celeb-based textures or 2-texture small maps don't work, and be done with it. If someone already posted that info, there is no reason to add anything further, save to emphasize that the critics response is good info and not a troll.

[YM]

Its the members that comment that get things locked, not the author.

If people persistantly act in an immature way in a particular thread it has to be locked. Theey could however take the moral high road and offer help and assistance to the individual in clear need of some.

However if you see this as "if i post stupidly i can get threads locked" you are mistaken. You'll get banned. perhaps a week at first, maybe for good. Everything we do here is case by case, there isn't that much moderating needing to be done so having blanket policies is a waste of time.

[FaTony]

Liberty for everyone. You have the liberty not to click on the map, not to see it's screens, not to comment on it's topic and let time do it's way to burry it in pages.

[Dr. ROCKZO]

I think encourage not commenting and reporting the map quickly before people who don't know about maturity start tearing the thread up..

[drp]

the general consensus here is correct. dont want to see maps like these? dont comment on them. they will be buried in the depths of the mapping section never to be seen again. every time someone replies to a submission, it bumps it up to the top.

[littleedge]

is there a way to make it so that if somebody replies to certain threads, it doesn't bump? Like if an admin edited the post somehow - some admin only option - that doesn't bump when somebody replies. That would prevent it from being locked, as well as not bring it to the top, thus not make people see it as easily, thus lessen the amount of posts.