As I continue to help categorise game submissions, an idea occurred to me.

So many have to go in Sandbox because, by the author's own admission, they're test games / demos / unfinished, so how about as a deterrent, publicly listed games that fall under any of these banners get removed from the listings altogether?

Now before the flaw in my idea is pointed out, I'm fully aware that authors will simply stop listing their games as unfinished / tests / demos, but if they're aware that their games will still get play-tested (and removed if necessary) then I feel it still might work as a deterrent.

Another idea is to give us the ability to set a game to Unlisted, rather than just throw it in the Sandbox.

The way I see it, Sandbox games can still be accessed and played by site visitors, who - as was the case with me when I first came here - might not be aware what the Sandbox category is for. In the console world, Sandbox means 'open-world / free-roaming', and because of this I was initially drawn to the sandbox category.

If none of my other ideas have any value, then I'll finally suggest that the Sandbox category is renamed to make it clear that games in this section may be unfinished / demos / tests.

If that doesn't happen, I would just leave games as 'uncategorized' adding a game comment about putting test games on the game announcement forum. People need to use that forum more frequently for partial games but... Most submitters unfortunately will continue to submit unfinished yuck.

But the problem with that is that a huge backlog of uncategorised games will build up as it did before (which is why we were employed by Alex in the first place).

I still maintain the Sandbox category either needs renaming or replacing with an option for us to unlist games. Play-testing game after game with descriptions like, "fjdhfjhfjdhfjhfjhfhfj" which amount to one room where any command results in: "You are dead lol" is nothing short of depressing.

If Alex could just add a few lines to the upload page, asking that authors don't publicly list unfinished / demo / test games, it would be a start.

But what do I know?

No. I totally agree. But if it didn't happen, it's better than nothing. That's what I meant.

why not have a ("alpha/beta/development/whatever") category for demos~tests~unfinished games ??? this could alleviate some of your work with going through and categorizing games, as some~most people will indeed put such games into that category, and if people are interested in play-testing games, they got a category of all those games in need of play-testing (and if there's any trash/spam games, these public playtesters can identify them, instead of you official guys~gals having to go through all of them). this lets you focus on the rest of the games, as to which category, and~or whether or not, they're adequately done as an actual playable game or not.

there's still the issue of abusers, who'll not only make trash/spam games, but also mis-categorize them, however, at least by having such a "alpha/beta/development/whatever" category, many good people will place such games into it, reducing your work load.

HegemonKhan wrote:... but at least by having such a "alpha/beta/development/whatever" category, many good people will place such games into it, reducing your work load.

That's a good idea, HK, in principle, but those same 'good people' should be keeping their demos and test games unlisted, which they're not.

It might be as simple as having the upload page default to "Unlisted" instead of "Public". It would at least force people to choose, and they might decide that Unlisted is fine. I wonder how many of these people uploading test or private games even know there's an Unlisted option?

jaynabonne wrote:It might be as simple as having the upload page default to "Unlisted" instead of "Public". It would at least force people to choose, and they might decide that Unlisted is fine. I wonder how many of these people uploading test or private games even know there's an Unlisted option?

That's a very good point. On more than one occasion I've forgotten to switch to 'Unlisted', and I know it's there!

Maybe the sandbox category can be renamed to something like the graveyard or incomplete (even though some of the games in there are because they're too short)

I decided reopening this thread in order to ask community about an idea concening the categories. Is it worthing creating a special category not for games, but for design ideas?

The logic for this category would be not publishing actual games, but examples of using an specific script, effect, style and so on. It would b e focused on study and development, not publishing an actual game. So, developers would show examples of their ideas to be used on a game before having to publish a whole game to demonstrate the idea.

Sure, I think a 'demo' category is a nice idea.

On the original topic, can we please default uploads to 'unlisted'? It would solve so many issues.

I decided reopening this thread in order to ask community about an idea concening the categories. Is it worthing creating a special category not for games, but for design ideas?

I just leave the game as unlisted, but put a link to it on the forum post where I discuss it.

The good side on having an specific category for those is the designer will know where to look when doing research for a project.

"Hmmmm, I will search the design section for a project about writing style now. Then I will look after implementing NPCs dialogues. " It sounds better than digging the unlisted pool to find Pixie ' example about how handling NPCs.

It is a suggestion. Perhaps pactice proves there is no need or volume of works in order to create a separate category.

The only problem with having a category is that to put things in it, you have to publish them, which has the effect of mangling the code a bit (since it pulls in all the libraries, etc). It would be ok for showing off the "phenotype" of the code, but it would be a bit tricky to get down to the actual code, as you'd have to root it out from the published file (once you've downloaded and unzipped the .quest file, etc).

I think the libraries and code samples forums is meant more for showing off code, once we get the file sharing thing worked out! :)

Hmmm. I see the problem. I guess it was a bad suggestion then. Nevermind. Perhaps the forum is more adequate as themes may be discussed.