While browsing yoyogames.com, I have noticed an inordinate amount of junk games, beta games in the completed section, and games that aren't even games at all! Today I will attempt to examine the causes and effects, and some possible solutions.

Yoyogames.com makes it easy, almost too easy, to upload a game. I think this is a major cause of the bloat. For sites like the GMC, it takes considerably more work to make a topic good enough to keep from being instantly buried, locked or deleted. Other sites like 64Digits have a moderation system that very effectively shields us from such rubbish. Also, games are typically ordered by rating instead of replies on YYG, so a user need only make a duplicate account or two to shove his game to the top of this list, where it for some unfathomable reason gets all these jokers who say "INCREDEBLE! THIS SHOUDL BE GAME OF THE YEAR!!! lol XD rofl" and give it more high ratings. The game moderation also seems to be almost nonexistent, for many of the moderators are loath to enter the mess. This means that the behavior only gets worse.

The main effect is that fewer "respected" members frequent the site, and that YYG loses face. I'm not certain what next effect is, but it might be that the number of reports goes down since there are fewer "good citizens" browsing. This in turn would make the site harder for mods to keep tidy, which lowers the perceived standards. This could easily create a vicious cycle. Remember - this is just my speculation, but it is plausible.

My proposed solutions to the problem of declining moderation is that mods need to divert more time to YYG and work on bringing everything up to speed. It's always easier to keep a place clean than to clean it up. I'm not saying that all the mods are doing a bad job, but it will certainly take a motivated army to deal with YYG.com. Secondly, we as members need to do a better job of reporting junk. It's tempting to ignore games that are obviously trash, but it's better for everyone in the long run if they are reported or rated down.

I also believe there needs to be higher criteria for submitting games, even if it be just some more intelligent file filters on the server (the number of zipped images is amazing). If the perceived standards go up, new members will hopefully behave better. Members also must refrain from promoting junk on a whim.

I had to think hard about solutions to these problems, and the results were less than I had hoped for. Do you have a better idea?

<i>Next up: </i>Stemming the Idiot Tide<i> - Is 64Digits overrun with idiots?</i> (Please don't comment on this yet!)