Minor changes – Keep to myself?
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So, I am finding some charts that just need some minor changes. Speaking of guitar charts only here, there are charts with some solo issues, chord issues, etc… I know we have all seen some. Alot of authors are no longer around. I have reached out to a few but have had no responses, and they haven’t logged in for a while.
I have gone in and fixed a few but since some changes are so minor, should I just keep them to myself to avoid cluttering up the database? Should I simply post them in my thread or just let them be and play them myself??
Personally, I definitely think we should strive to NOT create new versions in the database as much as possible. First of all, even if the author is not around anymore, it is not fair to release a custom with our name if we’re only doing modifications or additions on top of someone else’s work, which is still most part of it. Yes, we can give credits to the original author, but it’s not good enough. Second, we end up having multiple entries in the database, with users wondering which one they should download.
I think the moderators are capable of modifying a custom’s database entry, so if the original author really isn’t responding and hasn’t been around for years, we should get in touch with a moderator and discuss a possible update of that custom. But then, I think we should still do it only if there is a positive consensus from the community.
I am quite sure that if we make additions to a custom (the common missing parts are pitched vocals, pro keys, harmonies, venues and reductions) everyone will agree it is a positive thing, and it’s always beneficial to share them!
If we make corrections to obvious errors, that is also probably going to be appreciated.
But if we make revisions of some charts, either because we believe that a certain track doesn’t properly represent what the real instrument is doing, or because we want to improve the gameplay, then things get more fuzzy… whether it’s a change for good or bad will always be subjective, so I’d say we need to seek for consensus from at least someone else in the community. Initiate a discussion on the custom’s page or start a thread about it.
I think I share your feelings overall, because many times I’ve downloaded a custom and been disappointed that the drums chart really doesn’t match what the real drummer is doing, or because the guitar chart is insanely more difficult than playing the song on a real guitar (having been a guitarist myself, I know I am biased). Having learned how to make customs, I have been fixing this sort of stuff for my own use, but how do I know whether others are fine with the current chart or they would appreciate my “fixes”?
The only way is to talk about it in the forums, and see if you can get at least a few other persons to back you up. If nobody responds or backs you up, perhaps one possibility is to share your “version” by posting an external link to it in the custom’s page, and describe what you changed. Maybe people will try it directly and like it.
That said, why not posting already here in your thread which customs you modified and how?
” src=”/wp-content/uploads/invision_emoticons/default_SA_smile.gif” />Great points, and I agree with you completely. Being new to the community, I am still “walking on eggshells” a bit, trying not to do the wrong thing, hence why I haven’t posted any of them. I’d have no problem adding them to my thread or even starting a song modified thread per song and putting them there for the census to decide. I honestly don’t even care if I’m credited with modifications, etc… as long as the proper chart is posted. I will throw a few together for posting and see what happens, keeping them out of the database for now of course.
The official stance is, duplicating entries in the database is discouraged, but not unallowed. Generally we ask that you try to contact the original author, and if after a reasonable period of time they haven’t responded, you can continue with your version of the song… giving credit where its due for any prior work, of course. 30 days is usually given as an example of “a reasonable period of time”
Some may think that minor tweaks to only one or two instruments wouldn’t warrant putting a new entry in the DB. Personally I think any improvement is a worthy improvement, but other mods and the Powers that Be may have a different opinion.
Here is a great example of one. So as far as I am aware, this author is still current, but I really don’t want to be “That Guy” calling out every minor error (IMO) so I fixed it for myself.
Clip1 is the original, Clip2 is the fix. This happens throughout the song during all verses, You will notice the change from orange to blue because back to back it is different. I also made 1 fix in the solo, very minor. Missing 2 notes.
Clip 1
Clip 2
Here is a great example of one. So as far as I am aware, this author is still current, but I really don’t want to be “That Guy” calling out every minor error (IMO) so I fixed it for myself.
Clip1 is the original, Clip2 is the fix. This happens throughout the song during all verses, You will notice the change from orange to blue because back to back it is different. I also made 1 fix in the solo, very minor. Missing 2 notes.
I didn’t even notice the difference here
” src=”/wp-content/uploads/invision_emoticons/default_SA_smile.gif” />But I think you shouldn’t worry about being annoying when bringing this sort of thing up. Think of it this way: if an error annoys you, it’s likely to annoy others too, who may just dismiss the custom and stop playing it. Maybe even flag the author as a bad one and avoid their other customs. If I were that author, I would want to know and have a chance to make up for it, so I would want you to let me know!
Good catch. This one is off. No reason not to have the notes follow their pitch.
There are, however, lots of exceptions. Sometimes, a G note will be orange in one measure, and then blue in the next, because a higher note follows. The author has to decide whether to wrap that higher note around to a Green, say, or move down every note in that measure.
Tricky decision, but I never quibble with how an author solves those issues.
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