Maps : Rating and Approval Systems

[FRC10]

(1) Map Rating System : No One Likes to Beg !

Nobody bothers rating your map unless you tell or ask or make people's mind to rate your map. In fact, telling or asking or whatever ultimately sounds like "Begging for Votes". People play, enjoy and like your maps but they don't rate them even though they know how to rate. A few of them even appreciate your work via in-game chat such as you know, feedback...Nice & encouraging words. But to your amazement, when you check their votes, you dont find them and you wont until you beg for it. Calm down ...calm down...cam dwn....Nah I am gonna kick them in their faces as flat as they look !

I would like to suggest a rating system for Unapproved Maps :

1. A player who joins an unapproved map for the first time and tries to leave the map without rating it. A message should appear on the game screen :
How many stars would you like to rate this map :-
[checkbox] 1 star
[checkbox] 2 stars
[checkbox] 3 stars
[checkbox] 4 stars
[checkbox] 5 stars
or Simply A Bar of Five stars just like one we see while press escape to rate.

The player should not be allowed to leave the map unless he/she rates the map. This way map makers wont have to ask for votes. The only way to leave without rating is to close the tab or window. Well, I am sure nobody likes to restart the game.
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(2) Map Approval System : I don’t have friends in staff Ooops !

I would like to see the following Approval Rules :

01) *No. of votes - A standard vote cut off must be decided. Well, 50 votes should be fine to start with.
02) Map should complete 2 months since published. Eric knows this better.
03) Map Structure - Nice on Eyes.
03) No matter player has friends in admins/Mods or not. Every map should have unbiased and fair chance of approval.
04) Players activity in the map. Eric can check how often the map is played. Or is there is no way to check it??? I guess not.
05) Why my map could not be approved? These kinda issues must be addressed properly with legitimate reasons of non-approval.

*Note : I know ppl will try to have more alt a/cs so as to boost their map votes. Can the staff do something to prevent it??? I think there should be a way to do it.

[darkstar 1]

I totally agree with this ideas, way better than the current system.

[FRC10]

I totally agree with this ideas, way better than the current system.

I know buddy the current systems suck. Even the staffs know this too.

[oraclehunter]

*Missclicks* Oh shit... I rated 1.

[Fixer21]

I think there is somethin' with IP adress so you can't actually rate your own map with alternative accounts, unless, you have a few more network places...

[Kazy]

I think there is somethin' with IP adress so you can't actually rate your own map with alternative accounts, unless, you have a few more network places...

It tends to work if your IP is not static and changes like once a week. Depending on how you did use your accounts recently you are able to rate your own maps with your accounts.
Then again you can already your own maps with your main account just once so yeah.

[assasinguy]

For the rating systems what you need is a balance to avoid apathy, if you force people to vote they won't vote legitimately they'll just vote in order to get out of the match, so, what I think we should have is ... basically the same thing as you suggested but you can leave the match if you want to, it doesn't force you to stay until you vote, it simply reminds you to vote. Perhaps give the mapmaker the option to write a short message which will be displayed with the reminder.

For the map approval system, whilst I would disagree with your accusations of corruption in the approval system, as only Eric has the ability to approve maps and nobody on PB2 is really his friend because he's never here, I would agree with your suggestions for the new system. Just add something in for how well-balanced and fair a map is, obviously you don't want unfair gameplay in an approved map.

[mrblake213]

For a map maker who beg for rates, I disagree with this.

The first suggestion would be nice but annoying.
Imagine this, everytime you play a unique map (there are hundreds of maps) there will be this annoying box in the middle that forces you to rate. The rating system must be voluntary. Most people even tend to rate 1 when the mapmaker begs for rates and the mapmaker could have just write a message.

For the second suggestion, there are many great maps out there that isn't famous so they don't get 50/+ rates.
Quality > Quantity. Even if players have friends on the staff, only Eric can approve the map. I somehow remember pixelvowel making a "tutorial" or a guide on how to make an approvable map. (I think it was deleted with the old forum)

[ilijah999]

I would love that. But the problem with getting rates is the lack of Registered players as well. Because guest cant vote, your stuck with people playing and liking the map, but cant rate it. If you look at the older maps they have a TON of rates. Now The highest rates i've gotten is 40.

[Tortoise]

I agree with this idea. Hardly anyone seems to vote, especially on combat maps.

[FRC10]

For the rating systems what you need is a balance to avoid apathy, if you force people to vote they won't vote legitimately they'll just vote in order to get out of the match, so, what I think we should have is ... basically the same thing as you suggested but you can leave the match if you want to, it doesn't force you to stay until you vote, it simply reminds you to vote. Perhaps give the mapmaker the option to write a short message which will be displayed with the reminder.

Do you think reminder will work??? huh....Dont you know map makers can write a msg "Rate if you like" but still its doing the trick. is it?
And btw, nobody is forcing anyone to rate the map. You can get away without rating just by closing the brower tab or window.

For the map approval system, whilst I would disagree with your accusations of corruption in the approval system, as only Eric has the ability to approve maps and nobody on PB2 is really his friend because he's never here, I would agree with your suggestions for the new system. Just add something in for how well-balanced and fair a map is, obviously you don't want unfair gameplay in an approved map.

Can u tell me one thing? Suppose a map (say A ) is better than other one ( say B ). But B gets approved. why??? more votes ...nah I came across many maps with good no. of votes that were not approved and those maps too where rates are lower than 30-40 got the green check mark.
Check them out :
1.http://www.plazmaburst2.com/?s=9&a=&m=m ... &id=580994
2. http://www.plazmaburst2.com/?s=9&a=&m=p ... &id=707606
3. http://www.plazmaburst2.com/?s=9&a=&m=l ... &id=291087
4. http://www.plazmaburst2.com/?s=9&a=&m=m ... &id=269679

I can go on like this. 1 & 2 are approved maps and 3 & 4 are ...xd. Do u have a logical reason as to why thses (3&4) maps were not approved ?

For the second suggestion, there are many great maps out there that isn't famous so they don't get 50/+ rates.
Quality > Quantity. Even if players have friends on the staff, only Eric can approve the map. I somehow remember pixelvowel making a "tutorial" or a guide on how to make an approvable map. (I think it was deleted with the old forum)

Is there any laid down rules for approval? or May I know why those maps (as above 3 & 4) could not make it to approval list? There are more maps to join the list if u permit me to add.
You are talking abt <quality>. Trust me pal, you can find many clone or not so good maps that have been approved by Eric. I dont know what made him to approve them. Was it that he just bumped into a map while visiting custom maps section which caught his eye and he approved the same out of the blue?

To Eric and the so called staffs
What we currently have is a clear example of haphazard system of approval. And I just want a more professional approach here. Deserving map makers must get their dues. Just because someone can PM Eric on his twitter account abt approval of his map, it does not mean their maps are better than those who dont contact Eric on twitter. Their maps should also be noticed. After all they have done a lot of hard work. Sorry I just could not help it and spat the bitter truth out. Please stop approving the maps randomly. I am not saying all approved maps were randomly chosen. I know we have got the best ones too.

I rest my case here.

[mrblake213]

Yes, there are rules in map approving but the guide that pixelvowel made was deleted with the old forums.

Most of the maps you know that are "approvable" aren't approved because the map makers doesn't try to notice Eric Gurt. Yes, you need to let your map be noticed by EG but the staff doesn't suggest that idea.

EDIT: Pixelvowel's guide was gone but I found these tutorials

http://www.plazmaburst2.com/level_edito ... roval.html

http://plazmabursttwo.wikia.com/wiki/Ap ... ustom_maps

[The Algerian Soldier]

this is good idea for both of junior and pro maps makers, but I want this idea when the player press "Esc" button and the option menu appear, and wi appear a the idea hint

I like the Idea

[FRC10]

Yes, there are rules in map approving but the guide that pixelvowel made was deleted with the old forums.

Most of the maps you know that are "approvable" aren't approved because the map makers doesn't try to notice Eric Gurt. Yes, you need to let your map be noticed by EG but the staff doesn't suggest that idea.

EDIT: Pixelvowel's guide was gone but I found these tutorials

http://www.plazmaburst2.com/level_edito ... roval.html

http://plazmabursttwo.wikia.com/wiki/Ap ... ustom_maps

I can sum it up from your reply : There is no standard procedure regarding approval of the map. You really made the joke of current approval system by saying "Most of the maps you know that are "approvable" aren't approved because the map makers doesn't try to notice Eric Gurt.". So, we need to request Eric for approval because there no other way to get the map approved. Damn rotten system.
Are you hinting this... I guess so (maybe a little nah) : Level Developer Rank : To get 50+ = Spam Eric with approval requests and u are happy and sometimes lucky.....hahahaha

Grub, Go Get me my gun plz. Gotta kill this system for good.

[Ayano]

Great Idea! I give you +1 for that . w . !
If this was Actually Implemented i have a Feeling i would see ALOT of approved maps.
I know its hard to get Rates from Players without begging them.
But if you add this you may look less Greedy for Votes.(Which every mapmaker needs so badly.)
this could also help New Mapmakers(Like me.) To get votes.
So please add this! ; w ; ( i wanna Improve my map-making skills. even though me maps are horrid.)

[FRC10]

Great Idea! I give you +1 for that . w . !
If this was Actually Implemented i have a Feeling i would see ALOT of approved maps.
I know its hard to get Rates from Players without begging them.
But if you add this you may look less Greedy for Votes.(Which every mapmaker needs so badly.)
this could also help New Mapmakers(Like me.) To get votes.
So please add this! ; w ; ( i wanna Improve my map-making skills. even though me maps are horrid.)

Ty. Hope Eric and staff understand it. We can only raise our voices here but it's up to Eric to come up with better plans.

[mrblake213]

Goodluck with the hint

but sure, we can try your idea out.

[FRC10]

Goodluck with the hint

but sure, we can try your idea out.

Thanks buddy. Btw, there is more to the hint than we can imagine.
I Know my idea is not great but at least we can try It out.
Hope for better.
Now than never.

[tehswordninja]

I hope you do know the staff can't really do much about the approval system, that's up to Eric. I highly doubt it will change for now, but the system has to change in PB2.5, the current system is just poorly thought out.

[FRC10]

I hope you do know the staff can't really do much about the approval system, that's up to Eric. I highly doubt it will change for now, but the system has to change in PB2.5, the current system is just poorly thought out.

At last, someone from staff accepts it. Why doesn't Eric test some good ideas in pb2 on trial basis?
Btw, What do you mean by "but the system has to change in PB2.5"?