Difference between revisions of "MTS2:Creator Guidelines/Upload Process"

Revision as of 23:14, 12 November 2008

The upload process on MTS2 usually follows a number of steps, during some of which you recieve automatic PMs.

Uploading Stages

Stage 1 - Make your items!

In this stage you'll get ideas for, and research, the upload you want to make. Utilise our Create forums, and the various tutorials available to make the best object possible. It is usually a good idea once the item is complete to do a short write-up of what it does, and to keep track of anything you have used, and who it is by - this will be used later.

Stage 2 - Prepare!

In this stage you'll double check the Creator Guidelines, reading the specific ones that apply to the type of object you are uploading. Please also read the general ones, such as the screenshot guides, since they usually give you hints and tips on how to show off your item.

Also pay close attention to anything you need to link or credit, and be aware that pay content is not allowed in screenshots or uploads whatsoever.

Please take very special care when taking screenshots. We do not download and test anything, so if your screenshots are blurry and crunchy or look like they have been taken in the dark with a black sheet over the lens... then you need to read Screenshot Basics.

Stage 3 - Upload!

During this stage you will use the MTS2 Upload Wizard to actually upload your files, fill in the description that you wrote earlier, and credit other peoples work whom you may have used. Please pay special attention to the URLs you use when crediting off-site downloads or meshes - be as specific as possible in the links.

Please note that after you upload, you will recieve a Private Message on MTS2 with the details. At this point, once you recieve the PM, your item is in the moderation queue.

Stage 4 - Wait!

After the upload is submitted and in the moderation queue, the MTS2 staff will look at it, read the description, and check some other basics such as screenshots and the contents of the uploaded zip or rar files. This process can take some time as there are often quite a few uploads in the queue at any one time, and duties are split among staff.

If, at this point, you have a great item, have followed the guidelines to the letter and are approved, you may skip to stage 7 - Approval

If, at this point, you need to make any small changes, please go to the next step - Stage 5

Stage 5 - Make Changes! (Optional)

If there are any small changes that need to be made to your upload (for example you might have missed a credit link, or maybe need to tweak a screenshot), then your item will be put on what is called "Changes Required". This stage basically means that you need to make changes to your item to make it comply with the basic upload guidelines.

You will recieve a Private Message on MTS2 detailing exactly what you need to change. Pay attention to this PM! You may be asked to make multiple changes - please make sure you do all of them and not just one. If you have, for example, 3 or 4 change reasons, and you only change 1, there's still more that needs to be done and your upload may be rejected if you do not make all the changes.

Note that complying with these changes is not neccesarily an automatic approval!

Stage 6 - Rejection! (Optional)

Okay so your item is uploaded, but you got a message saying your item was rejected? What does this mean? Well, basically, you get a Private Message in your Inbox on MTS2 that lists specifically why the upload was rejected. Maybe it's too high a poly count, maybe it has lots of pay items, maybe it doesn't comply with a lot of these Creator Guidelines. Obviously, the specific reasons change from item to item, but sometimes there can be multiple reasons for rejection. Pay attention to all of them!

If your item gets rejected, do not lose heart! Instead, look at the PM, and see why it got rejected, and then look at the other uploads on the site within the same category or the same style. See how other people have done thier items and try and learn from them. Read the Creator Guidelines to get an idea of what you need to do to upload something correctly - perhaps you missed something basic but huge. Do you have a good description? Good screenshots? All these and more can be possible rejection reasons.

If the basic actual post is ok, then it might be due to the item, in which case you can get critique and guidelines from other creators in our Creator Feedback forum.

If you've read the PM, double-checked the Creator Guidelines, and still don't know why your upload was rejected; you can ask for further explanation in Creator Issues.

Stage 7 - Approval! (Optional)

If you got this far, then your item has been approved on MTS2! At this point you will get a Private Message in your inbox on MTS2 and sometimes may get a little note with some other information. Your upload will appear on the front page of the MTS2 downloads section, and on your profile page.

At this point, you can start checking your thanks, checking the thread for feedback, maybe even fine tuning your skills and improving things - and even start on new items using the techniques you have learned. MTS2 is all about teaching people how to get better with each item, and both the quality of uploads we have seen over the years as well as the general creator guidelines has changed to reflect that.

Lastly, well done for having something approved.