We are now deleting "playground", fullbright, etc. type maps
In an effort to help keep high-quality maps a mainstay of the ThinkingWithPortals.com community, myself and the staff will begin removing "Released" maps from the Download Database that do not meet absolute minimum standards. These include, but are not limited to:
- Maps with no lighting (fullbright maps)
- "Playground" or sandbox type maps (assuming they are of general poor quality on their own, see above)
- "Rollercoaster" type maps where the players are simply viewers, and there is no real testing / puzzle elements
- Maps with no goal, puzzle or objective
These are not hard-and-fast rules; the decision to remove a file is entirely up to the discretion of the staff. Period. The goal is not to stifle creativity or make a "No Fun Allowed" rule; we want to make sure that visitors know that ThinkingWithPortals.com will continue to have some of the best quality Portal 2 maps on the internet.
How To Properly Report A Low-Quality Upload
If you have found a map that you feel does not meet our quality standards, simply hit the "Report Download" link on the download page. Please provide a descriptive reason for why you feel this map does not meet quality standards. This will bring the map to the attention of our staff, and we can review it to see if it should be subject to removal.
Just because you post in a map's thread saying it is low quality, does not necessarily mean that the staff will see it. Please us the "Report Download" button!
Let us know if you have any questions about this policy. Thanks.
Please do not Private Message me for assistance. Post a thread if you have questions or concerns.
If you need to contact the staff privately, contact the Global Moderators via Discord.
Why can't you just put them into their own separate category instead of deleting them? Some people find those kinds of maps fun to have a mess about with, myself included. I think you're letting your personal dislike of those kinds of maps cloud your judgement here.
While some people find them fun, they do not meet the minimum standards of the forum. I'm not entirely sure who I agree with, however if msleeper is willing to consider a comprimise, I would suggest that simply fulbright maps be removed.
If a "playground" map is of sufficient quality - and by that I mean, it's not a single box room with fullbright and 1 texture - then I won't have a problem with it. The ones that were removed were nothing more, or not much more, than that though.
EDIT
The goal is not to stifle creativity or make a "No Fun Allowed" rule; we want to make sure that visitors know that TWP will continue to have some of the best quality Portal 2 maps on the internet. I have full faith that one of our many talented community members could make a "playground" map, and make it look good.
In fact, consider that a challenge. Anyone who thinks they can make a playground map that is also a "high quality download", do your best. I dare you.
Please do not Private Message me for assistance. Post a thread if you have questions or concerns.
If you need to contact the staff privately, contact the Global Moderators via Discord.
There's really a lot of maps with either fullbright, or bright diffused lightning.
Hey, I'm glad to hear this. This might make the forums more inviting to newbies if they see only completed maps here.
Love that some quality control is going on here 
Means that we can focus on playing the best maps that people have put their time and effort into. Good job staff!
This. I am frankly astonished at how many downloads each map gets, and how many maps are uploaded each day. [brownnose] msleeper has done a fantastic job here [/brownnose]
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Good decision!
I never understood why someone would want to release something they did in their first 5 minutes with an SDK. Might be a bit off topic, but that's the same reason why the app store is full of crap, they should learn a lesson from msleeper
It's really not just me entirely. Hober, Winston, and most recently Nacimota have really helped keep the site a shining star. I might run things, but I can't take all of the credit.
Please do not Private Message me for assistance. Post a thread if you have questions or concerns.
If you need to contact the staff privately, contact the Global Moderators via Discord.