Suggestion-Testing center

[Zelda.Alex]

At the present time the map development section has these sub-forums

Request a Resource
Project Recruitment
Idea Factory

I am suggesting another sub-forum in the map development section-Testing center:
In this sub-forum people can post their maps for the sole purpose of getting them tested.

I thought that it is needed because low quality maps sometimes pile in the map section due to less reviews in the map development section. If a section in the map development section is present where users can easily get maps tested & testers can find place where they can easily find maps which need testing then it can just help.
It may not help the above said thing fully but i still think its need is present.

Opinions?

 

[bounty hunter2]

I don't find a section like this would be useful. In theory yes, however:

* Newbs would still upload their maps directly to the Map section, avoiding this in a loop
* Most more serious users will create a thread in the Map Development Forum and ask for testing there
* Users will submit betas directly to the section

I don't think this would work. We can wait for some more opinions.

 

[M4stah]

And if people could randomly test maps you will always have people saying things like:
IT SUCKZ. STOP YOU ****Y NEWB
Teh terrain is a failure, kill yourself.

Closed tests work better, becuase you know they will test, not rate a 50% finished map

 

[bounty hunter2]

Well nothing is stopping them to say that in the existing sections, and nothing would stop them to do so in the new one. It's not a valid argument.

 

[Zelda.Alex]

* Newbs would still upload their maps directly to the Map section, avoiding this in a loop
* Most more serious users will create a thread in the Map Development Forum and ask for testing there
* Users will submit betas directly to the section

First thanks for proper arguments.

second
1....many do ask for testing in the map development section. but these are sometimes too random or done in the middle of other threads.
2....it is just an idea for sorting testing threads.
3....(i am saying this by my personal feeling) the testing in the map development section can be easier if i don't have to ask map makers if they want testing and wait for the reply. also it's a matter of convenience to find the maps which need testing at one place.
4....regarding first argument. many will submit directly but some may opt for this testing center (at least after rejection of low quality maps). this can help at least in dividing the number of low quality submissions between the 2 sections.

Edit:
Other Opinions?

 

[LordDz]

And if people could randomly test maps you will always have people saying things like:
IT SUCKZ. STOP YOU ****Y NEWB
Teh terrain is a failure, kill yourself.

That's what neg rep is for

 

[Zelda.Alex]

Other Opinions?

 

[Wazzz]

What I don't like is when someone just says a less-than-helpful statement like 'best map ever', '10/10 ', 'Fail' or just something along those general lines. Whether the comment is complimentory or unexplainably rude, I just dislike how ppl say things like that without really giving any actual feedback whatsoever. If such a section were to be created, I'd like to see comments like that just completely irradicated so that it is purely for helpful suggestions on how to improve the map (I do not believe in the perfect map as there is always a suggestion to be said).

I don't think such helpless comments would be easily stopped, however. I like it when ppl actually say things like 'this isn't fun because...' or 'this is good because... but could be better with...'. Sure, one could argue that the Map Developers forum is for stuff like that, but the majority of posts do not have a beta to play with as those forums are also for getting feedback on an idea itself.

With some thought, however, that would mean the purpose of this section is to post maps and get feedback from the entire community. Is that not what the maps section is used for? The maps section has a lot of maps posted each day, good and bad, and it also allows hivers to post comments and say what could be fixed or why the idea should be abandoned (yes, some ideas are not meant to be). If you wanted use out of such a section, it would be for Pending maps. Then, when they get approved, they would be moved to the maps section. This, however, would be irritating and a complete waste of time when we can do it all in the maps section.

Nonetheless, you point out that a lot of low rated maps are posted in the maps section, wasting space to put it bluntly. It is a bummer to have such bad maps, but how much would we use this new sub-forum? Despite having the whole of the Map Development forum, you still get lots of mappers posting their monstrosities and masterpieces straight up in the maps section. If we were to have such a section, it would prlly have to be made compulsory to be made of any use, but then would become a nuissance to deal with.

I'm not sure about this idea. I do hate to see the maps section full of sub-standard maps, but is a new sub-forum really the answer? Despite the fact there are some terrible ideas out there that managed to be approved by the skin of their teeth, ideas and inspiration can still be drawn from such maps by other modders, creating a link in their brain they would not have achieved otherwise.

 

[Wallshadow_]

I blame Ralle and Hive Workshop!!!

 

[Rui]

(...)
I am suggesting another sub-forum in the map development section-Testing center:
In this sub-forum people can post their maps for the sole purpose of getting them tested.

I thought that it is needed because low quality maps sometimes pile in the map section due to less reviews in the map development section. If a section in the map development section is present where users can easily get maps tested & testers can find place where they can easily find maps which need testing then it can just help.
It may not help the above said thing fully but i still think its need is present.

Opinions?

The Map Development root forum already serves the purpose of getting tested. Nothing prevents the authors from gathering a few people and organizing a testing session. And you don't need to fill an entire page with useless posts.

We already have the Map Resource Moderation forum, where you can ask about the status of your map and request it to be reviewed. The recent reports have received the answer that the maps are being reviewed by ascending submission date order, but I'll see if we can test those of people who post a thread there (I leave them with the [Unsolved] prefix for that motive).

I like the idea of having a place where you can find maps that need testing... but I can find that place by clicking "Maps" and then "Pending Maps". If the author did not link to his Map Development forum thread (if he had one), then it's his mistake. A mistake that can be fixed at anytime.

 

[Zelda.Alex]

Well Wazzz & Rui really explained quite well. I don't have any argument against that.