(removed)

Here is a small suggestion, and I only make it due to the large number of 'new projects' being started...

Perhaps making it so the first time any account ever posts something in the help wanted section, the first page it displays is this thread? There is an over-abundance of people now simply not reading it.

Just a few comments from a new user:

Originally, we did also create our own posting - which was actually quite comprehensive and differently structured, however when we stumbled across this "template" thread, we modified and downstripped our request accordingly.

My idea would be to make this template only mandatory for users who are either:

- new to GD.net
- don't know exactly what they want
- post requests that are short than xx kbytes

Just thought I would suggest a format for the "individual looking for work" posts.. why? well why not :)



Topic
Looking for project: Role, Software/Skills, Location



Name
Joe Bloggs

Role
3d Artist/Concept Artist/Programmer/Cheese and Pickle etc.

Software Proficency
3d Studio max/C++/Dreamweaver/Microsoft Word etc.

Skills
Animation/Modelling/Texturing/High level coding etc.

Location
UK/USA/FRANCE/GERMANY/SPAIN/MARS/PLUTO etc.

Favorite Game
Daggerfall

Least Favorite Game
Solitaire

Extra Info
A nice little blurb describing your skills/acheivements summing up why a team would want your sorry carcass onboard :)

Contact/Website
e-mail addys and urls






I'm not sure what you guys think to that layout but as far as I can see it covers most things... anyone else got any ideas?

In light of the new policies, might I suggest that one more field be appended to the bottom of the templates.

Desired Feedback:
"All" or "Only Encouraging"

I think if this field was at the bottom of each proposal, everyone could have what they wanted. Sensitive posters wouldn't need fear criticism, but posters that really want to know what the community thinks, could have that too.

The options are "all" and "only encouraging," because putting something like "only constructive" changes nothing. Everyone thinks that their criticism is constructive. If someone wants any criticism they have to accept all of it, even if it hurts. If someone simply cannot handle a certain degree of criticism, the community can't be expected to psychically know this degree, and therefor they should select the option of "Only Encouraging."

I hope this is implemented. Before I knew of the Help Wanted forum, I was part of 3 game creation efforts that failed. I lost large tracts of time because I didn't know any better. Eventually I learned from this help wanted forum what kind of project I should look for, and have found a feasible and exciting project that I am currently working on (a 4E4 entry). Someday I hope to post my own project proposals at this board, and want to benefit from the experiences of my peers and know of problems my ideas have, instead of just being told what I want to hear.

I understand the moderator’s decision to ban criticism. I now regret my own posts on this board deeply. However, I fear that with this new policy as-is, this board will loose the educational value it had, and doom new indy game developers to misguided decisions.

A great suggestion, Keratin, and one that would most certainly keep Gamedev.net's Help Wanted boards more useful than the other communities out there.

All in all, many of us are just here to slander and bash, but some of us really do have the correct motives in offering advice, critiques, and encouragement to those who are willing to listen and recieve it. Giving posters the option to say "I can take the heat, Mr. Moderator." would be very nice. I know I would choose that option with every post.

I am very glad there are organizers in this world!

One other implementation I intend to pitch is that of an "ad rating" system, where users can rate each ad up or down, so that higher-rated help wanted ads are placed higher on the display list for the duration of that ad. Perhaps the rating for each thread would start, by default, at the same rating as the poster, but could be raised and lowered much more easily than can user ratings.

This might ad more value to the currently mostly-empty rating system, which has a lot of wasted potential.