kisler

Seems like the Metanet community is up at arms against the current way that their mapping archive of choice, NUMA (N User Map Archive), is being run. Multiple threads have appeared on the Metanet Forums about their incessant complaints. However, most of the problems can be solved, and others are opinionated. Still others focus on the fact that the community is waiting for something to happen without realizing that they're going to have to make it happen. Here's a rundown:

~ There have been numerous complaints to restore bitesize NUMA. This is not happening. Featured maps is an improvement, and it nearly keeps maps from being recognized for no reason. Having to type a 50-to-100-word explanation, instead of clicking a button, keeps the crap out of the good maps.

~ Several rants have also arisen that the new community members are filling the database with maps of poor quality. This is far from the actual situation. These members do the best they can within the extent of their beginning skill. They will not turn out perfect maps every single time from the first one they post, and they should not be expected to do so.

~ Meanwhile, older and more influential members have been using NUMA less and less. This adds to the feeling of apocalypse above and makes the users with level heads think that this community is going to bear down on their shoulders.

~ The Hot Maps page, which replaced a simple Newest Maps layout, has had its own rant as well. "Hot Maps" adds new maps at the top of the queue, but floats or sinks them as their popularity and rating changes amongst those around it. The system has apparently not stopped the rate of malicious sniping (rating a map based on the user who created it), and only made it worse. The easiest solution here is to shut up and convince yourself it's a fact of life, because it is.

~ Numerous solutions and improvements have been suggested on NUMA's UserVoice page for implementation, but the site admin and lead coder, Arachnid (who happens to be a cool guy), has graciously informed us that he has a life, a wife, a job at Google, and a book deal, in the midst of which he can't find time to work on NUMA. Guess what? He's had a coding position open for four and a half months now, and no one's stepped up to the plate. Nothing is changing because no one is willing to work for it.

There's more to these senseless arguments, but they all come down to the same fact: They have no purpose. As said above, NUMA will not be changing unless people are willing to change it. Which, for a third of a year, no one has wanted to do. Moral: If you want something, do it yourself.