Limit submissions per week per writer

[Raziel]

This is a little out of left field I know, but I'm genuinely concerned for some members and our judges.

A quick review shows that two writers are responsible for around 1/3 of the workload of the factory judges in Starships and Technology right now. They're seemingly keeping 3 submissions open in each of those sections at all times. This genuinely concerns me because whilst this is driving content, its making a lot of work for judges for such a very tiny fraction of the community. I counted around 20 tech submissions in a week between two people and a good 10 ships. I'm concerned they're just addicted to submitting stuff for the point of submitting stuff.

The Factory and Codex should be there for people to enhance their roleplay experience and the lore of Chaos, not just spam submissions that will never see the light of day.

Would having a limit of 5 (or X) submissions per week per writer really impose that much of a limit?

Please discuss.

 

[Jairus Starvald]

[member="Raziel"]

I wouldn't be against it. It would force them to space out their stuff more and give us lighter work loads.

Yeah, I support it.

 

[Julius Sedaire]

[member="Raziel"] - all for it myself. Forces them to think rather than sub-spam...

 

[Cyrus Tregessar]

[member="Raziel"]

I tend to stand on the other side of the fence when it comes to arbitrary limitations like this. Given the fact that this is a somewhat irregular occurrence, I can't help but feel it'd simply be better to reach out to the writers in questions and let them know what's going on.

I mean I've had productive weekends before where I can pump out 5+ subs all in a day or two, but I tend to expect judging to move a bit slow when that's the case, and I don't do it often.

My bigger issue in this situation is that these subs are practically cookie cutter copies of each other with a handful of details changed. I would rather find a way to deal with crap like that.

EDIT: BOMBLET GENERATORS AND ION ENCUMBRANCE PACKAGES FOR EVERYONE JFC

 

[Quietus]

I can see why you would want for something like this here. The Factory never sleeps. My concern, however, would be that we have no need for such a rule in the Codex and I wiuld rather not limit where it is not necessary. With Cira and I trying to make Factory and Codex more cohesive I would prefer to stay away from making restrictions like this for one and not the other. It gets confusing when general submission procedure isn't uniform.

Cyrus makes a good point. Perhaps raising the topic of discussion about what makes a quality submission would be something we can do to get the memberbase more on the same page.

 

[Jamie Pyne]

I don't think limiting members on the number of submissions they can have per week will curb the issue with the submission quality. It will just defer the headaches further down the road, but they will still be there.

It's really just a band-aid on the overall problem.

The problem with driving the idea of a quality submission is that it is subjective, and certain people, those who shalt not be named, have a different capacity for writing what would be considered quality than others. We can try and coach them, but I am rather certain the offenders that brought forward this discussion in the first place have been around long enough that they have shown to be rather stuck in their ways.

 

[Judah Dashiell]

As [member="Silencia"] said,this wouldn't be a good idea for the Codex but great for the Factory. Maybe an overall submission guidelines discussion might help this. I noticed the the Factory the other day a submission for one item but the intent line still said 'cookies' despite not being cookies.


Perhaps a discussion on thought out submissions and holding members to higher standards would work as well.

 

[Julius Sedaire]

Those who make this an issue are apt to either take umbrage or ignore completely any coaching, sadly. I'd rather not do this. But I firmly believe this is about the only way to address it.

 

[Julius Sedaire]

[member="Raziel"] - Maybe something limiting Companies and the mumber of active Factory subs would keep Codex clear (@Silencia) of weirdness from cross-over and help alleviate sub spam, but would still allow us more breathing room? It's not perfect, but add in the caveat of something to the effect that it impacts subsidiaries And it should do it and let creative Alchemy/crafter types go relatively unscathed.

 

[Raziel]

[member="Silencia"]

Factory could just switch up to 3 submission per writer across the entire factory active at once.

Right not the individual in question has 3 subs up in vehicles, starships and technology. And will likely roll out another 9 as soon as they're approved.

 

[Quietus]

Here are some questions to consider:

Is your major issue a quantity or quality issue?
Are we more concerned with the amount of submissions, or the content of them being repetitive/unnecessary?
These members are well within their rights to submit things in the way they are submitting now. They are following the rules. It's two members being active within the Factory - are their submissions really overworking the Judges?

In the past when Factory or Codex gets busy and the Judges feel overworked, we bring in more Judges.

Why do we need to restrict the entire member base just because two members happen to be consistently active in placing submissions?

Is this really an issue that requires an action of further restriction or is it simply growing pains?

 

[Zeradias Mant]

I strongly disagree with this. While I understand the strain that might be placed on judges, it's totally unfair and unacceptable to even consider enacting rules which effectively target and prevent certain individuals from posting, especially when they are not breaking any rules. I am a staunch opponent of mass punishment, and to be frank, I'm a bit shocked it's even being discussed.

You wouldn't turn away a frequent customer because they come back every day - why would you do the same in the Factory? Because the judges have to do their job? Judges in both the Factory and Codex are members of a team. It is your job as team members to help ease the burden on each other and carry that weight together. There is no reason any one or two members should be able to singlehandedly overload the Factory. You all voluntarily signed on to be judges. The pretty colors don't come without a bit of work.

Just reach out to them and let them know what's going on. They can't know there's a problem if no one tells them.

 

[Darth Prazutis]

Honestly I do agree with [member="Zeradias Mant"].

To be frank per week if someone wants to sub a whole bunch during the week its in their right to. All Judges signed on voluntarily ​and the factory and codex are there to serve at the pleasure of the people. Teamwork makes the dream work, no one ever said the job would be easy.

I stand with Zera and do not in any way support this rule.

 

[Raziel]

Full disclosure, I wasn't really ready to push this as a rule but wanted a discussion on one or two members in a community of a thousand taking up such a large fraction of staff time. I was aware putting forward a hard limit would spark some discussion.

For those arguing there should never be limits remember we have already imposed many of these to reduce the burden on staff:

New characters need 50 posts before requesting tags
Submitters can only have 3 submissions active in any section of the factory at any given time.

2. There is a cap of three active or pending submissions permitted in each of the sub forums in the Codex or Factory per Writer.



There are a range of options:

• Do nothing - the problem might go away on its own.
• Go and have a discussion and ask them politely to cool it or else we will put in forth a rule to limit them (hence me starting the discussion with how we could form such a limit)
• RPJ's throttle their secondary approvals, slowing them down and preventing them from putting up new submissions
• Add a rule that limits subs per writer per week at a level that will only stop those who take a disporportionate amount of judge time
• Change the 3 per Factory/Codex at a time. (3 across all factory subforums)
• Reduce the 3 per subforum to 2 or 1.

For info:

In the last week the factory approved ~90 submissions. ~30 came from these two
Codex approved 16 submissions of which neither came from these two.

Silencia already told me that when Syn was given a factory ban he spammed codex, hence me putting this in the overall judges discussion.

 

[Zeradias Mant]

Change the 3 per Factory/Codex at a time. (3 across all factory subforums)

This I can get behind and actually like, provided it's three in the Factory and three in the Codex simultaneously.

 

[Darth Prazutis]

Three across all sections I can work with Besides we can always test it and if it doesn't work out during a couple weeks, month, etc pull it down once we see how the community views it.

 

[Ellie Mors]

Go and have a discussion and ask them politely to cool it or else we will put in forth a rule to limit them (hence me starting the discussion with how we could form such a limit)

We can do this.

RPJ's throttle their secondary approvals, slowing them down and preventing them from putting up new submissions

I will happily do this.

Add a rule that limits subs per writer per week at a level that will only stop those who take a disporportionate amount of judge time

Not sure how this will work.

Change the 3 per Factory/Codex at a time. (3 across all factory subforums)

I suppose this is fine?

I think the best course of action is to tell the members responsible that they need to wait a while before they fill the factory up with submissions again. If they refuse, too bad so sad. It isn't their choice to make.

 

[Julius Sedaire]

I'm fine with a 3 item total restriction. I think, given the protestations herein and regardless whether I agree with them or not, this might be the better course:

-Send them a warning/PM. Include the stats [member="Raziel"] included, to show them how much they are spamming us. Hope for the best that they see reason and chill. If they balk or ignore it, then we can go from there, with other steps up to and including the submission limitation.

 

[Jairus Starvald]

To be fair, if a RPJ or admin comes to them and they refuse to see reason, we can always just bring down the hammer on them personally.

Which I prefer either way honestly. Never saw the point in putting up rules and ruin the time for everyone, when one or two people are always ruining it for everyone.

 

[NightSister]

I'd be fine with it if we brought in this new rule, but I reckon from the options we have the best would be to message the members in question, show them just how much they're cluttering the factory. If for whatever reason we can't work something out, we can go from there.

It's true that we all volunteered to do this, but I honestly think this is being pushed a bit.