We are moving towards a more professional looking site and as such; to help clarify the rules and guidelines for the map page, we have composed a list of what we would expect users to follow. We are also providing some general tips to help make your map posting experience more informative. The general forum rules and guidelines will still apply in the map page. The Rules 1. Only Post Your Own Maps: If you didn't make, help or have permission to use it then don't post it. Plagiarism is a serious offense and if you are found to be posting another user's map and taking credit for it as your own then that will result in a ban from the Maps page and may result in a temporary site ban. 2. Thumbnail Art and Pictures: The thumbnail and images for a map should show a large majority of the actual map or be related heavily to the theme/idea of the map. We understand that people want to make a catchy image for their map but please avoid "clickbait" images. If you have a question whether your image is appropriate, feel free to contact a Moderator or Admin. a) Maps must also have at least three (3) images 3. No Erotic/Hateful/Disparaging Work: This is a level design community, the work you post should not be erotic. This falls in line with our no pornography rule. Also any content that denounces one or more persons or groups (being racist, singling out members, etc) in either an attacking or hurtful manner is not permitted. If you think something might be on the fence before you finalize it then consider rewording your post. 4. Reviews: Reviews that are made with ill-intent, rule breaking, or inappropriate/inadequate will be removed. Reviews are expected to have substance that will either praise or help improve a map. This means that if you like a map and leave a review, say what you like about the map or what it does well. If you do not like a map and leave a review then please give constructive feedback. 5. Updating and Re-posting Maps: To prevent boosting of maps, updates should not be daily and minor. Updates should be substantial in some way, ranging from major re-works to new weapon placements. They shouldn't be minor things such as recoloring walls or adding a foliage to a room. If you have a map in the Maps section, you should not post that map again, if you made any changes then you will need to update your original map post. 6. Map Page Comments: Comments on maps should stay on topic focusing on the map. For any off topic discussion you should use the forums. 7. No Boosting/Manipulation of the Maps Section: Any tampering or boosting of maps will result in a ban from the site and Maps Section depending on severity. Helpful TipsMap Posting When posting a map on ForgeHub, members are provided with an array of tools built into an easy to use format so they can decorate and personalize their posts. It is here where you market your creation to the community. What’s your map's lore? How many players does it support? Is it another remake of Midship? All these questions and more can be addressed here. What’s more, ForgeHub map posts support pictures, gifs and even fully integrated YouTube videos. Sound like a lot? Well it is, and that’s why we want to make sure we provide you with some basic instruction on how to create a map post here on our site. Let’s start with the basics. What should my map post include? By default, map posts must meet certain requirements to be published. These include: - Map Name - At least three screenshots - A working download link for the map Seem really barebones? Well that’s because it is! We want to make sure that all map posts here on ForgeHub meet a baseline for quality and appeal. Like mentioned before, this is where you market your map to your peers and a strong map post, much like a strong product advertisement, will help you on this endeavor. On top of that, ForgeHub represents the forefront of the Forge Community, Customs Community and members across the Halo Fandom that come to our site to see what awesome creations are being made. With this knowledge, we want to do our best to display our work in an impressive manner. So now you ask, how do I make a quality map post? While still simple, this list is more involved: - Map Name - Gametype Support Description - Functioning download link - Between 5 to 9 screenshots of the map - Brief description of map theme as well as some audience engagement. Talk about the map! Now, we understand that even with a bulleted list, it may still be hard to create a mental image of what a quality map post looks like. That’s why we’ve included several examples of personalized map posts from several community members for you to reference as you go to post your own! https://www.forgehub.com/maps/nautilus.4561/ https://www.forgehub.com/maps/kanaloas-wrath.4607/ https://www.forgehub.com/maps/infinity-siege.3364/ https://www.forgehub.com/maps/scavenger.1987/ Ratings Map ratings are the 1 to 5 star icons displayed next to map postings and come tethered with a review. A review is intended to be a well thought out summary of your opinion on the map. This acts as a direct package of feedback for the author and also as an indicator of quality to those looking to check out the map. There are several guidelines to follow when posting map reviews that both the reviewer and map author should keep in mind. Map Reviewer Map reviews are meant to include a certain level of detail. Be sure to be descriptive about what you liked or disliked about the map. This helps others grasp a better understanding of your thoughts on the map. Personal issues should never leak over into map reviews. Giving a map a low or high rating based solely on emotional ties with the author is bad practice. Whether you are the author or co-forger, you should never rate your own map. This creates a very skewed and biased image of the map. The goal is to gather a variety of feedback from others. Reviews should include constructive criticism. If there are issues with the map, be specific. Let not only the people reading know, but the author as well so they are made aware of what may need to be changed. Map Author You must be open to feedback. If someone leaves a review with well formatted criticism on your map, you are not to lash out at them. If your map is being rated lower than your desired value, do not ask friends to boost your ratings with soft reviews. Boosting is strictly against the rules here at ForgeHub and our moderation team will take action against you and the involved parties. Don't fret over "low ratings". Here at ForgeHub we use a 1 - 10 scale for ratings represented by Stars and Half-Stars. Three Stars is not low by our standard, it is denoted as "Average". Please understand that the opinions of your peers are valuable and as a creative author you must learn to interpret and appreciate feedback from others.