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User Content Manifesto (Unofficial)
Author: JakeSamiRulz (ctomni231)
Though not official, this document acts as a "break in case of emergency" in case we obtain an overwhelming amount of users that want to add content to the site. This document acts as a template to help alleviate tensions that may come between users and developers in terms of content. Developers only have a limited time to devote to features, and users are going to want to look out for their best interests at all times. What I hope is that this document can be used to give the best possible result to the whole community.
In case this document is to become official, a period of 3 months should be taken to add amendments and edits to it shall the need occur. Whatever happens, this document should strive for fairness between developers and users for the future of Custom Wars Tactics.
Let's face it, users are going to want to add content. Even though I do not mind users wanting to add this content on their own respective copy of the game, the problem comes when users want to share their content online.
We, the developers, have to maintain anything that becomes user content online. Anything that is shared, stored, and done online has to be able to be maintained by the developers to ensure the best experience.
So, sadly, I already know that accepting all content from everyone is going to be a huge issue. In the worst case, everything will fall to the developers and no offense to us but our decisions are going to be very biased depending on what we deem is worthy.
This system is made for all content that needs to be maintained by developers. If the users want to make content on their own PC and share it via their own services, they can do so. The line is only crossed if a feature or item is maintained on our site. The server system will contain maps, replays, and the game itself. It might expand to other server content in the future. This was created to handle server content if the need arises.
In order to better serve content moving into the online space, I am going to do a division of all community members into 3 distinct groups. These groups are to serve as a kind of checks & balances democracy for handling user content. The groups are listed below...
- Developers (The creators of content)
- Coalition (The control of features)
- Users (People who play the game)
I am going to lay out the rules behind each group below. By default every member in this group is part of the user category. The Coalition is completely separate from the Developers.
"As developers, the major goal of what we do is to protect the content on the system. Any content that makes it on the system is to be maintained by developers."
We have to make sure that the content is working as intended on the system. If the content is being used in a malicious way, it is our duty to solve and find solutions to make that content safe to use. We control how the content is implemented and the best way to display the content.
Developers also have the choice to add content directly to the system at will. This includes manipulating content for faster speeds or finding a better way to implement it. As long as it is working in a way close to what the original creator envisioned (80% implemented to creator specs), it is fine.
Content that is deemed unsafe can be temporarily disabled at the developers discretion. If a feature is harmful to the community, unstable within the system, or is being used in a malicious way; Developers can automatically decide to disable features at whatever time frame they deem necessary (including indefinitely). They should make an effort to let users know when these changes occur.
Developers can put any feature up for consideration without consulting the Coalition (but they can if they want to). Coalition members and users may suggest changes to the feature by vote. Users may also say that a feature is to be disabled.
"As the Coalition, the major goal is to make sure that the features and the content is in the best interest of Custom Wars Tactics."
The Coalition is to be comprised of people who care deeply about the game of Advance Wars. Decisions of the Coalition control how content is used, but they do not control how the content is balanced. Balance control is left up to people creating the modifications to the game. Therefore, since it is mostly about the direction rather than the result, the pool can be extended to any of these sites...
The member pool for the Coalition should be an odd number, to prevent stalemates for feature additions. (5 is optimal and possibly the suggested maximum.) It is strongly advised that the coalition has varying perspectives on the game at large, but overall like the game enough to see the best for it. The goal is that each member is working towards CWT's best interest for features.
If a verdict can't be made, then developers are urged to select based on how active and how much contributions a member (who is interested) has made to the site as large. Mostly though, the selection of these people should be as diverse as possible among the Advance Wars Community.
The Coalition's main job is to make sure that features are working in the best interest of the Custom Wars Tactics game. Any online feature that needs to be placed in the system, or any feature that needs to be changed, goes through the CWT Coalition to make that change.
The major thing is that the Coalition is a strong "advisory" board of members for CWT. In other words, the developers are always the final word on whether a feature can or can't be in the system, but their advice should be taken into heavy consideration.
Documents need to be made that show what content can pass for 100% completion. The main point of this system is to reward users that show hard work and complete all data needed for a particular feature. The members of the Coalition just have to have a general consensus (3/5 Coalition members) that a User Pass would be allowed for a feature to be in. This feature is detailed in the user section.
Any Coalition member can create an official topic for a feature to be added or changed. Users must go through the Coalition in order for a feature admission or change to be considered. Topics for feature additions and changes are added at the full discretion of that coalition member. For any new or changed feature to the system, each Coalition member has to take a vote on whether this feature is in the best interest for the community.
Votes are handled on a yay or nay basis. If a Coalition member stays out of the vote (or abstains) then the original submittor will vote for them. If a feature motion has majority vote (3/5 at least) it is put up for immediate consideration into the system with developer recognition.
Coalition members can choose to delay a feature for revision within reason and no longer than a month then the day it was delayed. A delayed feature notion automatically goes in for voting after expiration. Each feature can only be delayed once.
The next job of the Coalition members is to organize events and/or make sure the features are being used in the way they are intended.
A huge part is making sure that the content (like maps, replays, etc.) remains organized by giving suggestions and creating movements. Coalition members job is to help users to have an easier time accessing and finding features and content.
Coalition members are also given access to the blog in order to organize events (to their own discretion) and to give announcements in terms of features.
By being a Coalition member, you have direct access to communicating directly to developers about features. Any Coalition member has the ability to discuss adding features directly to the developers themselves. It is up to the development team to add the features, but once added, any change to the feature can be stated by the other coalition members.
CWT Programmers are not allowed to be considered for the Coalition position, You can be a non-programmer developer and be part of the Coalition. That way, the Coalition is based directly on user influence.
If a Coalition member is inactive for 3 months, or willingly gives up their position. Then a new member will be chosen from the respective site they came from. If that site is no longer available, then the member will be chosen from the CW main site.
"As users, the major goal is to make sure the entire system is in the best interest of the community."
Users aren't powerless, actually, quite the contrary. My goal for users is to allow them to share content freely as well as have power to take bad ideas out of the game if they arise.
To make sure users don't get completely shut out, there are pools for user content in where users will have the ability to share content on the servers. As long as the content within these shared spaces doesn't harm development or offend users in any way, they will be allowed on these shared spaces.
The Coalition and Developers have control on what can be considered a shared space, because having everything as a shared area can put a lot of strain on the system. There are shared spaces currently planned for maps and replays.
Every user has the power of disabling bad features from Custom Wars Tactics. On the main forum, any user can create a topic to disable a feature from the system. If the poll for the disable gets majority vote (51% of the voting community wants it out) then the feature will be disabled. These polls need to be active for at least 2 weeks in order for it to take place.
This system allows users to take out really horrible features and content from the game. Any feature or content of the game can be chosen to be taken out. In addition, users must give constructive criticism of why a feature is to be disabled, and what can best be done to change the feature for the betterment of CWT.
If a request like this is made, developers MUST comply to it by at least disabling the feature. A review should take place on whether the feature should be kept, modified, or permanently deleted. Over-whelming votes for disables (75% votes) should heavily be considered being removed from the system completely with no chance of readmission.
If a Coalition member is not performing their duties, users can also create a topic to remove them from the office. If the vote is overwhelming (75% of community wants them out), then the Coalition must step down from the position. Reasons must be given on why and action like this should take place and reviewed by the developers.
If a feature is disabled, users may choose to resubmit the feature to the Coalition if at least 25% changed from the original feature. Only a Coalition member can write an official feature readmission or admission into the system.
If a feature is 100% complete, which means, if all the requirements for adding the feature to the game are met, then this creates a "User Bypass". "User Bypass" Features bypass the need for a Coalition Member to post them, and they have a lower admission rate.
If any of the Coalition members (1/5) or any developer agrees that this feature is to be implemented, then the feature is put up for immediate consideration. Any user can post a Completion Feature. It is at the Coalition discretion whether that feature meets 100% requirements.
Currently, the only content that can have these proposals are CO's, units, terrain, modifications, properties, and campaigns. (That is a lot of work, because then a full set of rules will have to be made for what features can follow the 100% completion rule. It'll probably have to handled by the Coalition)
Keep in mind that even if a feature is accepted, the Coalition can still propose changes to any feature within the system. If a feature is edited, it no longer qualifies as 100% complete. This rule applies to new unique features only.
My biggest hope for this system is a sort of checks and balances to make sure only the best content and the best direction is made for CWT. It creates a filter for the content so the developers only receive the best ideas. It also gives the users 5 separate entities to get their ideas to the developers.
Even if they can't get a feature that way, I want this system to reward hard work. So any feature that has all the requirements can be considered by anyone on the development team. I suspect that a lot of users will be lazy and want developers to do the work, so anyone who does the work themselves deserves a shot at feature inclusion at least.
JSRulz (ctomni231)
CWT Team Lead
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