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I look in the map making assistance forum from time to time, and all I see is the same sets of questions being asked over and over. People don't seem to be aware (or simply don't bother) using the tutorial or search functions as well as they should be, IMO.

So I say, do it for them. When someone is about to post a topic in the assistance forum, there could be a function that scans their post for keywords, and then opens up another window showing a list of topics or tutorial sections about those keywords. Chances are the answer to their question will be in one of those, and if not, then simply allow them to make their topic in the forum like normal. If they find the help they need, then have it so the thread/tutorial that they used for the keywords it was matched up with would be "promoted", and more likely to turn up at the top of the list for other's questions.

The reason I'm suggesting this is not so much because of the redundancy of people's topics, but because of the misinformation that comes about when others go to answer them. Often people will post answers that are either half correct or else simply misleading altogether, and then when others post the correct information it often gets confused with the rest, before finally someone who knows for sure comes around with either the simple answer or a link to the tutorial thread that contains the answer (which is usually described better than what people will post in the thread, anyway).

Bravo!!!

Have it open a window saying: SEN Search Engine found these related topics. Please read them and reconsider making your topic.

Brilliant idea.

ya, I agree, most questions are ez to find if you just take a second, but that could get annoying if they scan your post and you were asking about a post related somehting so you gave it's key words to help relate to it, but the as jeeves thig most liekly would still pop up.

Pop on new topics; not new posts.

That actually will eliminate 95% of the questions asked on the forum. The remaining 5% will be questions about map specific questions.

We really don't need this. All we need is for people who ask questions to use the search function in the TDB.

Are you saying like the actual title or the first post with the title?

The new topic. Like, Tux's new post in this forum.

For the future, I'll make it do a LIKE search for each word in the topic title. It will return the first 5 assistance topics and the first 5 tutorials that match. How is that?

Lovely. Will stop trash assistance topics.

I can call it "ask Yoshi" instead of "ask jeeves" okay?

We sure will get alot of results searching the "help!", "plz come!" and "omg im screwed" titles

Should search post for mapmaking words such as kills and cash, etc.

Well that's the thing: People don't actually use the TDB to its fullest. Otherwise this wouldn't be an issue.

Though personally I think the TDB could use some work, also. Some simple things (like how to make brushes in starforge) I tried looking for but couldn't find, so I ended up making my own as a post in a terraining sticky.

If there is anything needed in the TDB, please submit it!

And then you can have an "Ask donwano" search engine thingy in on the Serious Discussion forum. It's where they ask a question and it automatically generates some sarcastically-serious suggestion I have for that person's problem.

Or...

We can just screw that idea and all agree with this one. Yay, go "Ask Yoshi" search. Good idea Tux.

It's not that; they're too lazy to try and find it.