Scratch

I agree...most front-paged and SDS projects are terrible these days.

Last edited by ProgramCAT (2012-02-24 02:47:29)

Agreed.

Perhaps only a "top 3", unless they are ALL bad then this wouldn't work- but surely at least 3 could be good enbough

the top 3 get front paged, then after a week the next top three, and then the next...

Last edited by Borrego6165 (2012-02-24 03:22:40)

Someone should moderate the projects and review them for elegance of scripting, graphic quality and programming level.

Kresinho wrote:

Okay, for start, just to say, this is MY opinion.

Well, here we go.
SDS (Scratch Design Studio) has a policy to add only those projects to gallery that are not older than 1 month. The result is: many scratchers, when they see the new SDS theme, are making quick and "bad" games in less than half an hour, just to get to the front page.
I am in belief that projects that are made in less than half an hour don't deserve to be on front page, because you have to admitt they are very bad, and they are an insult on scratchers who try hard and don't get frontpaged.

Those quick projects in SDS also inflict that people view them, and then they get on most viewed and most loved page, which is totally absurd. The quality of those projects is way below the quality required to get there. Again, good projects suffer.

As is for me, I would close SDS without blinking. It would remove bad and quick made projects from the front page. But I know many will disagree. Then at least, please add just good and hard working projects to SDS.

Thank you for reading, and feel free to post your opinion.

I'm an SDS curator, and I can totally see where you're coming from. However, I would argue that quickly made projects would still be added if the 1 month rule wasn't there. Scratchers would still be making quick projects to get on the front page. You can't stop this.

Furthermore, there's nothing stopping Scratchers from making complex projects that take a lot of time as the gallery themes last for quite some time. I believe the idea in setting the age limit in the gallery is to encourage Scratchers to make and share something new with the community rather than recycling something old, meaning less projects are on the front page twice. I agree that it's not great when so many cheaply made projects get on the front page, but removing the SDS time limit isn't the solution to this.

I also think this thread goes in suggestions.

I think it encourages new scratchers to keep going if they see their projects on the front page...

slinger wrote:

I think it encourages new scratchers to keep going if they see their projects on the front page...

That's nice and all, but through the years many good scratchers didn't get their encouragement. They couldn't get to front page because they didn't make projects for SDS (for fame), they made good projects.
So basically, SDS encourages bad scratchers to keep going, and it's destroying those who actually make something worth playing.
My opinion.

Kresinho wrote:

slinger wrote:

I think it encourages new scratchers to keep going if they see their projects on the front page...

That's nice and all, but through the years many good scratchers didn't get their encouragement. They couldn't get to front page because they didn't make projects for SDS (for fame), they made good projects.
So basically, SDS encourages bad scratchers to keep going, and it's destroying those who actually make something worth playing.
My opinion.

We've seen this kind of discussion many times before, and at the root of it lies the question: What is a quality project?

From the words you use, it sounds like you favor games - you use the phrase "make something worth playing." But of course, Scratch isn't for games anymore than it is for animations, stories, or anything else anyone can imagine. You may prefer a certain kind of project, like games, or maybe it's even generally complex projects. That is fine, but Scratch will always be for many different people (girls, boys, animators, gamers, RPGers.) with many different preferences.  Especially beginners.

That said, I do think it would be good if everyone could customize the projects that show up on their front page, at least to some extent. That way if you like a certain kind of project, you can make that kind of project show up on your front page. We're looking into good ways of doing that in the next version, but it's trickier than it looks. It may takes us a while to get it right.

If it's such a problem, why don't you suggest a solution, instead of bemoaning what you think is a lack of quality?  As stevetheipad said, curators are volunteers--they don't get any sort of reward for donating their time.  Stomping on their opinions is only counterproductive.

Greenatic wrote:

If it's such a problem, why don't you suggest a solution, instead of bemoaning what you think is a lack of quality?  As stevetheipad said, curators are volunteers--they don't get any sort of reward for donating their time.  Stomping on their opinions is only counterproductive.

Woah, easy now.    Things may have gotten a bit animated up thread, but I don't think we're at the "Stomping on opinions" level.

Let's not confuse a lack of understanding of the goals of SDS with intentional hostility.

Kresinho wrote:

sparks wrote:

I'm an SDS curator, and I can totally see where you're coming from. However, I would argue that quickly made projects would still be added if the 1 month rule wasn't there. Scratchers would still be making quick projects to get on the front page. You can't stop this.

Furthermore, there's nothing stopping Scratchers from making complex projects that take a lot of time as the gallery themes last for quite some time. I believe the idea in setting the age limit in the gallery is to encourage Scratchers to make and share something new with the community rather than recycling something old, meaning less projects are on the front page twice. I agree that it's not great when so many cheaply made projects get on the front page, but removing the SDS time limit isn't the solution to this.

I also think this thread goes in suggestions.

I wasn't thinking of altering the time limit, because I am aware that wouldn't do any better than it is now. I just want to say this to you and all SDS curators: stop adding bad projects to SDS. Yes, it will drastically reduce the number of projects in SDS in first, but as time goes on, I believe more and more quality projects will be seen on SDS gallery

I'm also an SDS Curator; and yes, while some of the projects we add might not be the best games ever, the SDS to me is not necessarily about quality. To me, the SDS provides inspiration for Scratchers. A lot of my best and most creative projects have been designed for the SDS. Also, if the projects get into the SDS, they'll get feedback from the community and become better games and projects.

Last edited by technoboy10 (2012-02-24 09:51:15)

stevetheipad wrote:

Yeah, lots of Scratchers don't always understand SDS and think we select the projects. This isn't true, we only do our job, which is mainly adding projects who meet the requirements.

If you'd like to start your own "showcase" of what you consider "good projects", you're welcome to make a gallery for it. 

Yep! Some examples:
BobbyF's Hall of Games, Eventexception's Replay Replay Replay gallery.

Last edited by technoboy10 (2012-02-24 10:00:29)