Needs More Info Edit the Format Suggestions page

[berry]

This post is specifically in response to a thread this morning where a user asked about a potential alternate VGC format, was redirected, and ended up in the wrong place again (idk who can see this thread in OM submissions, but here). This has happened numerous times over the past couple of years, but I and a few other OM staff realized that this might be because a problem in the definition of OMs given in the format suggestions page that was linked to the user (https://pokemonshowdown.com/pages/formatsuggestions). There unfortunately isn't a "right" place for these types of formats, but essentially redirecting to the OM forum leads to more confusion and annoyance.

The modern OM forum isn't a "dumping ground" of ideas and formats like it was in gens 5 and 6, but rather a set of metas where one specific premise or mechanic is added or changed as well as other threads revolving around these metas. The definition given on the page ("creative user-suggested formats") doesn't accurately show the goals and themes of the modern OM forum.

this text should be changed to something like the following:

Other Metagames are user-suggested formats that differ from standard formats because of central mechanics changes. Some of these include STABmons, where pokemon get access to all moves from their STAB types, as well as Almost Any Ability, which gives pokemon access to almost any ability. This forum is not for alternate formats that do not include a central mechanics change.

 

[Zarel]

That's awkward. We'll need some sort of policy for formats that would be interesting but don't fit the OM definition.

 

[Zarel]

I definitely don't think we should auto-reject formats that don't fit OM's definition... anyone have ideas?

 

[berry]

In the past, the Unofficial Metagames forum was used for things like these in a very limited fashion. I don't think it gained any traction because a lot of the users who come to submit things like the thread linked in this OP or any other number of not-OM alternate formats don't stick around long. I believe the definition given to UMs was alternate formats that could be played on cartridge without central mechanic changes (so not OMs), but also formats that did not fit within smogon's traditional tiering system. Things like 1v1, AG, NFE, etc fit into this category, but some were split into their own forums and beyond.

There's been a lot of metadiscussion about this exact topic within the OM forum and other channels (Siamato has a great post about it here) but there has never really been a solution. I agree that these metas shouldn't be instantly trashed and they do deserve a place, but in the overwhelming majority of cases, they have absolutely no long term interest or success (outside of formats that were post-maturely lumped into this category like 1v1 or AG). Suicide cup (now renamed Loser's Game) has even been re-added into the OM forum.

Tagging Ransei as well I feel like he has input on this situation.

 

[Zarel]

I always thought that OMs re-merged with UMs after the split sort of petered out?

 

[dhelmise]

I always thought that OMs re-merged with UMs after the split sort of petered out?

Yes; we absorbed the UMs that existed; we didn't become an OM + UM conglomerate forum. As a result, we don't take submissions for formats VGC LC. One idea I had was making a separate format suggestions subforum (same privacy permissions to something like admin requests) and Ransei and I would look into some of the formats submitted, though I'm unsure how much of a task that'd be and realistically a good format suggestion is rare.

 

[Zarel]

Would it be that much work just to take both types of submissions in the same place? You could still instantly close the ones you don't like, I just want somewhere to direct people to.

 

[The Immortal]

I mentioned before, it should go in the relevant questions thread. These suggestions are not to create and run OMs. These suggestions are for formats on PS. If it is a custom ruleset like the above example, it should go in https://www.smogon.com/forums/threa...re-read-original-post-before-posting.3520646/. If it is a suggestion for a format that isn't made up, like an old Nintendo format or a Smogon format or some sort (LC UU, hypothetically) then it can still go in the PS thread but a more appropriate place would be the questions thread in the relevant Smogon section. It would then be the responsibility of said section leaders to either reject the suggestion or propose it themselves to PS staff.