The rule, as currently in effect, states:
Quote
All new threads are required to have screenshots of your current work demonstrating progress on the map beyond the idea stage. (ie, that the map is actually in production.) Screenshots can be of gameplay or a shot from inside the editor. If there are no screenshots, your topic will be closed or deleted. "Bad" screenshots that do not actually show us much about the map do not count and are not acceptable.
Arguments and relevant reasonings:
1. "We should dispose of the rule because there are not many threads being created there anyway."
IMO, this argument is sound by using measurable statistical evidence: if one displays 20 topics per page (which means 16 on the first page because of pinned threads) and sorts by start date, the threads in Map Production stretch back to February 20th. This means 16 topics in 6 months, or an average of 2+2/3 topics per month in the forum. Go to the second for 20 more threads that stretch back to January 2011. 36 topics / 20 months = 1.8 topics / month.
2. "Threads without screenshots should go in the Theory & Ideas forum."
IMO, this argument does not hold up because historically, this rarely happens. There are relatively few threads in that forum that are just basic but specific map ideas and discussion of general concepts are far more common. (I am discounting general threads such as "what would be cool for a zombie map?" because those are not idea threads for a specific map.)
3. "Maps are more about their triggers, systems and actual game play rather than a few pictures these days. If you want a picture, load up Draft. Then 192x192, Jungle, null terrain. You have 90% of my picture-able map. Then pick rectangular terrain, put the size to 19x10 and some walk-able terrain. Place that a few times. 99% of my picture-able map." -Loveless
A. The rule should be overturned because it is meaningless and requires little effort to get a screenshot of some terrain or a screenshot of TrigEdit saying it's processed 10,000+ lines of triggers.
B. The rule holds and such screenshots are unacceptabe because it specifies "screenshots that do not actually show us much about the map do not count and are not acceptable." To date, Loveless' production thread does not have a legitimate, meaningful screenshot under my interpretation of the rule as written. Perhaps the rule should be updated to specify screenshots should be "meaningful". (do we want to deal with ambiguity created by such a "meaningful" clause for screenshots to be legitimate?")
4. "It's okay for veteran and respected members to have threads without screenshots, they won't produce vaporware and we can trust them."
IMO, this argument should not hold because having exceptions to the rules for veterans is selective enforcement. Selective enforcement, from what I can see of public opinion, is not very popular or effective. Furthermore, new members will be confused as to when the rule does and does not apply to a person as it ambiguous, based on the individual judgments and biases of people and moderators.
Post has been edited 1 time(s), last time on Aug 21 2012, 5:50 pm by Mini Moose 2707.
https://www.collaborativefund.com/blog/how-this-all-happened/
https://thelastpsychiatrist.com/2012/11/hipsters_on_food_stamps.html
https://youtu.be/vyiXaCRwZTs
https://thelastpsychiatrist.com/2011/09/how_to_be_mean_to_your_kids.html
http://lab.cccb.org/en/renata-avila-the-internet-of-creation-disappeared-now-we-have-the-internet-of-surveillance-and-control/
https://thelastpsychiatrist.com/2012/11/hipsters_on_food_stamps.html
https://youtu.be/vyiXaCRwZTs
https://thelastpsychiatrist.com/2011/09/how_to_be_mean_to_your_kids.html
http://lab.cccb.org/en/renata-avila-the-internet-of-creation-disappeared-now-we-have-the-internet-of-surveillance-and-control/