Better Place Than the Arcade for Non-Games?

I don't want to call anyone out in particular, but it's really common for designers to upload bare test-modules to the arcade. I'm not referring to uploading a playable level for a forthcoming commercial game, but things like a background image and a movable object. Very often, they wouldn't even classify as an example game.

These aren't really rate-able as games, since what does it mean to call a movement-mechanic test "Really not very good at all" or "Amazing?" Since it's worthless as a game, a single star is fair as such, but what if as a movement-mechanic it is indeed amazing?

Right now the arcade is cluttered with non-games which should perhaps be separately categorized as "Demonstrations" or "Tests" rather than games, and belong as references in the Your Creations forum.

How can we preserve the integrity of the Arcade? We don't want people not to post complete but genuinely bad games, because that's nonetheless a "good-faith" effort. Is is truly best just to rate not-a-games 1-Star, or is there a more elegant solution?

I could not agree more.

I feel the arcade is a very important branch of the site, and for anyone just browsing or curious about construct 2, it would probably be the first port of call, but looking at the arcade specific forums, and the amount of comments,proportional to games uploaded it seems few C2 users share that view.

Regarding "test modules" There is the example games section,which I guess would be the correct place for them, but I assume most would think it's going to be totally ignored there, so upload to the arcade.

I certainly think the arcade needs a spring clean to sort the wheat from the chaff, also get rid of the multiple uploads of the same "game"

But at the same time it's important to encourage people to upload and show the world, something they have put time and effort into...

Most games, if not instantly noticed and rated will be swept into the slew of bilge within days.

On paper the current system should get the better games up the ladder,with the rubbish being left at the bottom but it requires lots of users actually playing and rating to work...

Be patient guys, Tom had announced the arcade was the next piece of the website he was going to work on.

It will mean a new/reworked design, more categories (one of which should be a "laboratory" kind of category for all the tests and stuff like that) and features according to everything that's been reported and observed since the arcade was first launched.

Kyatric - along these same lines of Tom fixing the arcade...do you know if the high scores table is broken on all the games currently? It was mentioned to me that it's not working on my Pick to Win game as someone got a new high score but it isn't showing up.

I don't know about that. Tom have you heard of this ?

Yes I agree, this has been on my mind as well. I love going to the arcade to see what cool games others have submitted, but end up seeing a clutter of incomplete games that are not in the "Example games" section. I think a simple fix is a checkbox on upload to flag if a game is only for test/show (for community input for example). These games cannot be rated (because they are a WIP), and have their own section of the arcade.

Kyatric,

No worries, I remember Tom said he's working on it, and based on the efficiency with which he and Ashley dispatched the other recent upgrades, I'm sure once they're confident of a solution, it will be implemented swiftly.

A clearly marked "lab" is a great idea. I was also thinking along the same lines as JoyfulDreamer, which I think will probably be accounted for by the Lab, but perhaps users could also flag games as being not-a-games, using the same mechanic as flagging them for violence or potentially offensive content.

This is good news. Tom, can we have and education category?

Not aware of high scores not working, if you find a specific example let me know (tom@scirra.com)

Laboratory category sounds like an excellent idea, along with other ones such as education. I'm really looking forward to re-doing the arcade and bringing it up in quality!

Tom,

We had a thread about it at the end of last week, noticing that in at least one case, high scores aren't posting on Manley23's Pick to Win game. I'm a little reluctant to check the arcade from where I am right now, but last I checked my score (and presumably others') haven't posted, although there are existing high scores for the game.

I'll send an e-mail to your Scirra address as well.

Thanks!

Hi,

Thanks, I've identified the issue. Expect a fix this week. Sorry for not seeing the thread about it earlier, always feel free to email me if you think I'm unaware!

Tom

Hey, Tom,

No worries, and thanks for the fix!

David

Should be fixed now.

And so it is. Got the score =) Thanks!