The SMBX community and newbie questions

[HeroLinik]

Their responses to whenever a new user asks a simple newbie question actually kinda irks me a little.

This topic here inspired me to make this one here. In this topic, we see a new user who is absolutely new to SMBX, and they really did not know how to post a level. On other discussion forums I've seen, we often see a high-ranking member provide a helpful explanation on how to do what the original poster was asking. However here, all we are just met with is a somewhat rude response along the lines of "use google, it ain't that hard" instead of an explanation on how to do what the OP was asking, and I've just reported it. OK, I understand that they could have simply googled it, but being told really harshly really sets a bad image for the SMBX community especially for new users who could possibly be clueless on the issue at hand. Using Google can yield so many results and it may be difficult to find what they are looking for. It's like saying "check the instruction manual" when someone is trying to install something new. I know that the answer could full-well be in the instruction manual, but where is the user expected to look? Even when I look at them myself I get annoyed at the users that post these snide remarks but don't attack them directly because I don't want them getting pissed off at me. At the same time, I feel a little sorry for the new users asking the question. I mean, come on, they're only asking for a bit of help, why does everyone need to be so harsh to them? Being harsh is just as good as creating an off-topic post. I've faced this myself before, and at one point I wanted to leave the SMBX community due to their attitude (it wasn't like this when I joined), but decided to remain because SMBX would otherwise be useless without levels to share to others.

OK, rant over, why do the SMBX community act like this when a new user asks for help?

[underFlo]

Because we literally have a sticky with "new users check this out". It just comes through as lazy, and while Tinkerbell was a bit rude, he could have educated himself.

[Circle Guy]

We need to sticky this RIGHT away.

I was also thinking about making something like this...

[PixelPest]

http://www.supermariobrosx.org/forums/v ... 35&t=12033
I've considered updating the topic soon. Feel free to PM me or post in that thread to say anything that needs to be added. I plan to update it when the full 2.0 is released.

[Mable]

This thread is a good example why people should research better, before they post.

What kind of question is "I need to know if you can make levels with this? Go on youtube/google and you should find the answer.

Most questions that are asked by now can be simply resolved by searching for an existing thread, or just use google.

[Zeldamaster12]

We're not assigning helpers to people, and people aren't obligated to hold your hand on the forums. There's a whole subforum titled "HELP & SUPPORT" that has a ton of stickied threads that answer simple questions. It's nobody's fault but their own if they don't use enough common sense to go to the Help & Support subforum.

[HenryRichard]

I'm kind of on the middle on this - people have been rather rude in some topics, but people should at least use common sense. "Can I make levels with this" is an ignorant question because it literally answers it on the home page, but people shouldn't have been quite as rude as they were. If people would actually read the how to use and FAQ topics that are stickied, that would basically eliminate most problems.

[Shadow Yoshi]

Thanks for bringing this topic up, Linik.

I understand that it's frustrating when people ask obvious questions and clearly didn't look before posting. I think it's fair to say that users simply need to look around more and figure things out for themselves. However, this does not give anyone the right to be a smartass in help threads; there's a fair amount of this that happens in regular discourse among people in general, which I get, but I don't want it to go too far.

On the flipside,

It's like saying "check the instruction manual" when someone is trying to install something new.

Assuming the manual contains installation instructions, that's a pretty valid response.

I know that the Help and Support section and FAQ (the latter of which is really just about the forum and not SMBX) aren't perfect, but there's also a fair amount of situations where people should just figure these things out themselves. Questions like "how do I expand the level boundaries" (not sure if somebody asked this, I'm not calling anybody out in particular) are questions that are better off figured out by that person.

Also, if you see a question that you really hate you can just report it and if there's something that needs to be done then the staff will handle it.

[HeroLinik]

I'm kind of on the middle on this - people have been rather rude in some topics, but people should at least use common sense. "Can I make levels with this" is an ignorant question because it literally answers it on the home page, but people shouldn't have been quite as rude as they were. If people would actually read the how to use and FAQ topics that are stickied, that would basically eliminate most problems.

The best way to eliminate this issue is to make the FAQ thread and First Time Users Guide to SMBX global announcements so everyone will be able to see it, rather than confining it to just one forum.

[aero]

Not everyone has the time to find stuff in the H&S section; directly asking a question is more efficient.

If they can't take the time to search for their answer, then they shouldn't take the time to clog up the H&S forum with dumb/answered questions. And you're wrong, it's really inefficient for the moderators since they have to keep the Q&A under control. A method that is actually efficient is making a QTDDTOT (Questions That Don't Deserve Their Own Topic) sticky so that people don't have to look around as much for the actual issues and questions that need a response. It should be a basic standard that you learn how to play and figure out problems on and exercise basic problem solving skills rather than having their hand held.

[Shadow Yoshi]

Not everyone has the time to find stuff in the H&S section; directly asking a question is more efficient.

AeroMatter touched on this already but, yeah, this is false. Posting a help thread means they have to wait for replies, which could take time. By simply finding the answer themselves, they're able to go on with whatever they were doing.

[MistakesWereMade]

Not everyone has the time to find stuff in the H&S section; directly asking a question is more efficient.

AeroMatter touched on this already but, yeah, this is false. Posting a help thread means they have to wait for replies, which could take time. By simply finding the answer themselves, they're able to go on with whatever they were doing.

I meant via direct message, but you're right. I still feel like the H&S forum doesn't stand out enough, though. It should really be emphasized...

It is literally one of the first things that shows up at the front page of the forum, the only way we could make it stand out more is if we put blinking lights on it, increased the size by 3x and put flaming arrows in a circle pointing at it.

If people can't be bothered to look at something directly in front of them, we shouldn't bother to dig up all the info for them.

[Shadow Yoshi]

Yup, pretty much what Nien said. The help forum stands out just fine - the rest of the burden is on the users.