So I've been thinking lately - what can we do to make our community be outstanding compared to other gaming ones? And then I thought - why not make something that would rate files better than just simple stars? Something like a... certificate?
So here are the main theses: 4 groups (I thought of 4) - Best Map, Best Skin, Best Script and Best Mod. Three time groups - of the month, of the half-year and of the year. A thread for applications (maybe later a pretty form) where people can apply their works. A committee consisting of independent and honest judges that decides who the winners are A certificate that's emailed to the winners (a graphic which I can and will make if it will be needed + DC's signature, maybe the one from the info page)
Profits: More motivation for the users to make good stuff Prestige for the winners Increased solidarity of the site+forum Distinction from other gaming communities
Tell me what do you think, express your opinion about the idea in the poll and make suggestions what else do you think can be added.
I started thinking about GameBanana because the site is either down, under development or is hacked because I was there today and there was blank pages everwhere. It's like the second time GameBanana has been hacked, I think it's due to that the domain is worth quite alot by now. I hope GameBanana returns it was such a great place for skins and what not.
But this idea you got is pretty good, best upload will be shown on front page? or on top of the file uploads? it would be interesting.
Well the committee will probably be elected by ourselves, but we should follow these criteria:
If the person does what he does good (e.g. if the scripter makes good scripts) If the person is adequate - can't have sudden mood changes which could influence the fairness of his judging If the person is famous and well-known inside the community (not bad if outside as well).
These are, in my opinion, the three main criteria to choose judges. If this idea gets accepted we could as well make a poll thread with people you consider worthy.
I like the idea but I would only do 2 time groups "best of the month" and "best of the year".
also I somehow dislike the application thread idea. judges should choose the best files directly from the archive, skipping the application chaos.
the biggest problem and weakest point in this idea are of course the people who judge this. could be hard to find a fair and really(!) neutral team of active judges. alternative solution would be to do this based on rating but I already see how some assholes register 100 accounts just to uprate their stuff and downrate all other stuff...
These files are undoubtedly going to get the best of ALL your categories..
May I suggest changing things a bit...
Make it so each file can only have 1 certificate of each kind...
A good file comes up, it gets the one month ( I really think you should have one for 1 week) after that, if people are still up-voting it, it gets the half of a year, after that, if people are still up-voting it, it gets the year, after that if its STILL popular, it gets moved to a special file vault called the hall of fame...
If a file should drop in prestige, then radically increase in prestige again, it would have to start of where it left, at the half a year, or year mark... but it can't have two duplicate certificates.
And, I think a year, or even a half of a year is WAY too long for a file to be called the "best". CS2D changes every month practically...
Make the maximum time 1 month, minimum time 1 week... starting with 1 week best, 2 week best, 1 month best... a total of moreless 7 weeks.
The judges should also receive a title other then User, they should receive a title appropriate to their judging category...
Let the mods judge, but also start a thread where people can tell what their personal favorites are. If the mods' and the people's opinions match - it's perfect, if not - the winner chosen by mods receives the proper certificate while the winner chosen by people receives a 'People's Choice' award. That would make it even more democratic.
@LionHearted
I wasn't suggesting that only for CS2D, but for other games like Stranded II and CC as well.
About DC's time investment - I'll repeat, the only things needed from him are the approvement and the signature, everything else we can manage
CS2D hardly changes every month
About your ideas - I thought that if the file is really good you can nominate it a few times. IMO 1 week is too little time. I don't know about the Hall of Fame thing, I'll remain silent.