Just another forum rant thread
polycounter lvl 12
Thread titles... This has been brought up a few times before but I wanted to create a thread about it because it's been on my mind a lot.
Disclaimer: I am definitely not the best at naming my threads or selling my work, but there seem to be some common problems present. Don't think I am calling everyone out, because this definitely doesn't apply to everyone.
I spend a lot of time reading Polycount each day. Lately I've become really annoyed with thread titles in PnP, and I know I'm not alone! One of my friends is close to losing hair over thread titles. Why is it so hard for people to come up with unique thread titles?
Here's some things your thread title should accomplish:
- Let us know what's about, the theme, the style, the subject
- Make us interested enough to look, hook us!
- Help the thread stand out in our minds so that when we see it on the page we know if we've clicked it or not
It seems like a lot of people are just accomplishing the first and to a bare minimum. It's not good for selling your work or standing out. It's easy to auto-ignore every thread that starts with "another". Not only that, but the whole "another wip thread", "just another", "yet another". That needs to go. It's no longer funny or ironic (if it ever was). It's incredibly annoying and becoming cliche.
I know there is work being done on getting thread thumbnails, which will help, but I think there still needs to be some change. Someone before suggested little icons that said WIP, ENV, CHAR etc. I think those would help make people use more interesting titles.
TL;DR: People are being annoyingly lazy with their thread titles. There are good reasons why you should be more descriptive. It doesn't help anyone to see every second thread being "another wip thread".
For your consideration:
Disclaimer: I am definitely not the best at naming my threads or selling my work, but there seem to be some common problems present. Don't think I am calling everyone out, because this definitely doesn't apply to everyone.
I spend a lot of time reading Polycount each day. Lately I've become really annoyed with thread titles in PnP, and I know I'm not alone! One of my friends is close to losing hair over thread titles. Why is it so hard for people to come up with unique thread titles?
Here's some things your thread title should accomplish:
- Let us know what's about, the theme, the style, the subject
- Make us interested enough to look, hook us!
- Help the thread stand out in our minds so that when we see it on the page we know if we've clicked it or not
It seems like a lot of people are just accomplishing the first and to a bare minimum. It's not good for selling your work or standing out. It's easy to auto-ignore every thread that starts with "another". Not only that, but the whole "another wip thread", "just another", "yet another". That needs to go. It's no longer funny or ironic (if it ever was). It's incredibly annoying and becoming cliche.
I know there is work being done on getting thread thumbnails, which will help, but I think there still needs to be some change. Someone before suggested little icons that said WIP, ENV, CHAR etc. I think those would help make people use more interesting titles.
TL;DR: People are being annoyingly lazy with their thread titles. There are good reasons why you should be more descriptive. It doesn't help anyone to see every second thread being "another wip thread".
For your consideration:
Replies
Now its true that naming shit interesting isnt easy but people who seem to put taht extra care into there work to make there work interesting seem to put that extra something in there thread titles to make people want too look at the fantastic work they just finished.
If you even for a second consider having the word "another" in your thread title, just stop what you are doing, and make a different model.
Compounding the problem is that I even see the same concepts being used at times... It's not super common, nor is it a big problem, it's just annoying. There are so many places to pull inspiration from. Yes, Deus Ex and Mass Effect are awesome... but we would have never had Blade Runner if all Ridley Scott did was reference other movies. Watch the National Geographic channel, read some books, take a vacation, go for a walk to some less traveled areas of your neighborhood, etc.
There's a lot more to the world than hallways.
Characters are a bit easier I guess but I've also been unoriginal with my Female UT3 Character, which I only named once I needed one to get it into the game (probably could've added 'sci-fi' to it I suppose). But again unless people have compeltely refined a character, or are basing it off of a concept already named (or is of a genre that really pops out) then you're probably going to keep seeing 'female character' or 'fantasy character' somewhere down the list. Perhaps being able to edit the title as the character develops would be good.
Edit: I guess it's more about unoriginal projects rather than thread names.
Self-demonstrating, actually.
That's kind of the point, Emil.
Heh, yeah I realized just after posting it that the title was a bit self-defeating by also being uninteresting. It was meant to be mocking but by my own logic I would probably ignore it.
@phattyewok, makecg It's just a suggestion. I think it benefits everyone. I don't think it should be enforced at all. I just urge people to be more creative. The thing that bothers me most is that we sell ourselves short with the bad titles. I think TeriyakiStyle put it pretty well.
AGREED !
Yea, I'm really not sure when forums became such serious business, but I don't care for it myself.
Coming from 3dtotal the only thing that bothers me about threads here is that I don't know which threads I have freaking been to! :poly105: I find myself subscribing to every thread I want to check back for fear that in a week I might not be able to find it on the 10th page. lol
Thought it was kinda cool how 3dtotal started doing the thumbnails...
When I create a Scifi hallway I am going to call it "THE" Sci-fi Hallway. :P
I actually wish I could change the name of a thread. Because even though my "Rat Revival" thread has been on the front page 3 or 4 times it only has 8 views? Lame. Didn't think it was that lame of a name when I made it.
I know, I am a bad person.
this being one of them.
Having said that, even a bog standard thread title will capture my attention if I recognise the name, i.e. someone who's built up their rep and posted a lot. So if I saw "Character by Alessandro Baldasseroni" I would be clicking ^_^
e.g.
[WIP] - Character - Female Swordmaster
[WIP] - Prop - Office Stuff
[UDK] - Environment - Space Station
[FINISHED] - Weapon - Ak47
Maybe my examples aren't perfect but you get the idea. Might be helpful to see a sort of uniformity
~ lol
I see your point. Didn't want to give the impression I thought it should be a rule. Just thought it might be helpful to people who struggle to make a clear title and would help keep clarity if there was a rough title template.
Frump I agree with your complaint but I don't think you'll accomplish much with the rant format. what you should instead do is write a post called 'How to get your pimp threads noticed' and fill it full of the same advice, except from the perspective of the artist. Explain how it will get them more feedback and views of their art, rather than from your perspective about how annoying it is.
If they are made to understand that it benefits themselves, people will do it out of free will. If they think they should do it just because it makes someone grumpy otherwise, the chance is pretty low.
+1
A thread like that already exists and I am definitely not the guy to expand it with knowledge; I can't get anyone to post in my threads.