Improving Name Submissions (For Mods and Submitters)

Hey, this thread came about as a result of a chat in #flavour on the discord with reference to how Name Submissions are handled.

Again.

I'm essentially combining a few ideas raised throughout that chat into some proposals. Some of these points include things raised during the Pajantom post-name-submission-disqualification drama (which is perhaps the only thing more reliable than the sun rising and setting).

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Generally speaking, Name Submissions have two key rules: "Don't Final Submit Early", and "Follow the Format". Both of these rules have been controversial, whether by enforcement or just the rationale for implementation.

[b][u]Final Submissions[/u][/b]
Now, there's not (as far as I'm aware) a strong justification for not opening these from the get go - the level of discussion in names submissions is always (unfortunately!) rather low. Whilst I think it's advantageous for people to first do their WIPs to try for some feedback, some people have busier lives to lead and would rather get their idea locked in and go. Indeed, because the current rules require mods to check through every post in the thread (including all edits), it adds a fair bit to their workload. It also makes life substantially trickier for those wanting to make submissions, since they have to check every post in the thread to see when submissions are actually open, which likely means relying on Smogon Alerts, which are patently unreliable at times.

Two solutions to the problems with the current system appeared on the discord.

[i]Option A: Removing the FS Delay Entirely[/i]
This option... kind of speaks for itself. Allow Final Submissions from the start of the thread - essentially, you lock your choice in earlier. This brings Names in line with, I believe, every other thread that we have.

[i]Option B: Removing the DQ for early Final Submissions[/i]
Option B maintains the deadline, but removes the punishment for acting early. Instead, users simply have to re-submit *after* the deadline, rather than be completely removed from the system. This reduces the mod effort as outlined above (lowering the number of posts that have to be checked), and also means that you avoid the situation where someone submits a brilliant name too early and the name is lost to the rules, since nobody else will FS it once it's legally possible (either FSing their own work, or not wishing to intrude).

If we do keep the Final Submission barrier, then consensus seemed to be that when that is announced, it should be placed in the Title of the OP - meaning that people need merely check the thread title, rather than trawl through the deluge of ideas submitted. This could also be used to say "WIPs ONLY", to reduce the impact of herding on how people act.

[b][u]Formatting[/u][/b]
On this matter, there's kind of an excessive level of detail checking - and I think that it has a negative impact on both participation, and on how much work the mods have to do. Whilst I understand the desire to not send 100 names to the first round of polling, and that the format culling helps there, there is a distinct difference between someone who's missing an entire chunk of information, versus someone who's missed a single space, or who's made a typo when they've transcribed the word "Pronounced" (say, because they're not native English speakers, or they're dyslexic).

I'm honestly not sure how to quantify "minor leniency" into the rules - by definition you can't define that strictly (beyond, I guess, "all information is there, clear, and in the given order", which would imply reading the thread rules). One thing that would be nice is if, underneath the Syclant Example, [url=https://pastebin.com/raw/rVrE6rFh]something like this was included[/url]. Something that is easily C/Pd with all format needed (You can't C/P the Syclant example without losing the bolding, which is a nuisance), with an explicit "actually copy/paste this" should help users (by giving them an empty form to fill in), and move the focus of name submissions back towards interesting name ideas.