The Forge Hub Status Quo
Forge Hub is no longer what we might think it is, what we subscribe to. Forge Hub is no longer all about maps, about feedback and a sense of companionship in the studious effort of creating something for your peers to enjoy. It has become a vibrant community of all sorts of people sharing at least one common interest: Halo. Is the focus where it should be? Day to day there are countless conversations conducted on the forums or over LIVE. There are passionate debates and the discussion of breaking news. Sigs carefully crafted and gifted to others, times arranged to help test and play together online. Just don't go into the map forums unless someone else recommends you a link.
Why is this? Surely Forge Hub is all about forging and playing custom maps? Well, the map forums are alive and well. The problem is that they aren't capable of supporting very advanced life any more. Now don't get me wrong - the map forums here are a great resource and maps are posted every day that are worth downloading and playing. Post your own map and you're likely to receive some helpful comments on how you could improve. It seems to me that there is a disparity between the browsing habits of those recognised as accomplished forgers and those trying to make it to that stage with high quality creations.
Our premium members need only post a new map in the forums and it will be viewed by all who see its author. The comments will be highly favourable almost regardless of any flaws, but largely these comments leave virtually no constructive/intelligent feedback whatsoever. The author is not given a clear idea of what might be changed, and the reader is not given an expanded view of the performance of the map. There is even a phrase used in our community which mocks this stereotypical response. "Needs more interlocking i give it a 5/5." Take a look around the map boards and you'll see for yourself where that stems from. So what informs a reader as to the quality of the map without downloading it themselves, when a detailed and thoughtful review is so rare? The map post itself. This makes it even easier for a well known member to stay ahead. An experienced community member will know how to put together a great map post to leave a great first impression. On top of this, their peers, often other respected members of the community, are far more likely to leave reviews and informational posts in these threads. With the abundance of "Moar interlocking 5/5 tho" posts everywhere, why bother looking at a map made by someone you don't know? You'd have to download it to find out if it was any good, becasue the thread tells you nothing. With so many maps, it's safer to stick to those you know are likely to deliver.
This is the problem. Newer members are unlikely to create an impressive map post and they're also more likely to get random, "meh i liked ur interlockings seems lik u can die in that 1 room but its a 2/5 from me try harder" all over their thread. With well known forgers, these comments are almost exclusively "AWESOME MAP 5/5!!!" or "Wow you suck, terrible map massively overrated." You're either idolised, or it's just too tempting to bash a popular forger for the attention. Unknown, but potentially great forgers simply get mediocre spam comments, and suffer because of it. It's not their fault. It's not fair either.
Forge Hub has a wide range of members. Some like to lurk as guests for the maps. Some make an account for a few select posts, or to participate in one of our many competitions, game nights or tournaments. Some become recognised members of the community, make firm friends and post in a wide variety of places. Being riddled with spam hurts all these people. It can force lurkers to rely on the featured maps for guaranteed good content. It can discourage new members from posting more of their maps. Say they came across a moronic troll with an opinion on map design worth almost nothing - as someone just starting out, having put an untold amount of time and energy into a map, their creation, their child if you will - being flamed, however wrongly, could possibly make them stop forging altogether. It stops regular members from even bothering with the map section. They've become part of the community, so when they sign on to LIVE next they'll probably get multiple invites to games on new, good maps. Why bother?
Well this can't continue. I dread to think how many potentially talented forgers have been neglected due to this mindless attitude amongst certain members of this site. It's starting to strangle the constructive criticism, feedback and passion for map design and the creation of fun, exciting gameplay. There was a time when new members would get thoughtful and constructive map reviews, paragraphs long, for no other reason other than a shared enjoyment of and pride in the creative output of our site. It would be very easy to let our enormous sucess and position as the go to location for Halo 3 custom content allow this to continue. But the simple fact is that the attitudes and behaviour that built this community is wilting under a mass of disgustingly worthless comments.
From this point onwards, feedback on maps that:
Are composed of a single sentence
Include a rating without reasonable justification
Show no evidence of knowledge of the map in question other than that which can easily be seen from a glance at the pictures
Will be deleted immediately by the moderators. Infractions will also be awarded for spam at their discretion under these same rules.
These are open to a certain degree of interpretation. There will be anger from those responsible for the state the map forums are currently in when they are warned, even banned for a few days as a result of their posting habits. The moderation team has been briefed to take this backlash in a calm and unyielding fashion, and take it we shall. We're going to fight for the values that made this website great and if, sometimes, we have to be the bad guys from now on, then so be it.
I'm off to review a map by someone I don't know. Thoroughly.