When you publish a show, it waits in line to be rated by your fellow MML members.
The number is your position in line. #1 is the front of the line.
The purpose of judging is to...
Decide which shows will be featured on the front page.
Provide a little exposure for each show.
Give an appropriate XP reward for your contribution.
Filter out shows with inappropriate content.
The purpose of judging is NOT...
To make the judges feel important.
How long will it take?
There is no time limit -- when it receives a certain number of votes, it will leave the queue.
Most shows will be judged within a couple of hours.
If you publish late at night, it might not be done until the next morning.
During peak marching season (around October), it may take a few days.
How do I find out what my score is?
When judging ends, you'll see a message at the top of the screen.
Click the Results button to see what it received.
What determines the final score?
It is essentially the average of the votes cast by the judges.
The votes are adjusted based on various factors, including the rank of each judge.
Who is RoboJudge?
RoboJudge awards XP based on how much effort was put into the show.
Unlike human judges, RoboJudge is totally objective and incapable of error.
He also has a vast array of lethal weapons, and isn't afraid to use them. Like, say, when someone whines about their score.
What do judges usually look for?
Realistic drill with clean transitions.
Forms that are pleasing to the eye and that are in proportion.
Controlling the pace to hold the viewer's attention.
Having a consistent motif or theme without being too predictable.
Use of halts to highlight "impact" sets.
Details like guard work and horn position.
An imaginative theme, title, and description.
Proper spelling and grammar in the title and description.
Originality.
What are some tricks to get a high score? (e.g. uniform color, publish time)
There are no "Jedi mind tricks" to magically affect the judges.
If you think you've found a some secret trend or conspiracy, unless you have mountains of data to support it, you're probably wrong.
How do I get a show featured on the front page?
Featured shows are mainly decided by the judges score.
Likes, etc. don't have any affect.
There is no guarantee that any show will be featured for any length of time.
It's all automatic. The admins do not add or remove shows.
What if someone judges it unfairly?
There are measures built into the system to automatically neutralize bad votes.
One or two bad votes won't ruin your score.
However, popular opinion will often differ from what you think you deserve.
What if I feel the judges aren't qualified to judge my show?
Everyone here is an avid fan or member of the marching arts.
Votes from experienced members, who have judged many shows, are weighted higher.
Most members can appreciate sophisticated shows as well as flashy or light-hearted shows.
We like to have variety on the front page, and that means getting a variety of opinions.
If you think everyone here is a simpleton that can't appreciate your brilliance, this isn't the place for you.
What if my score is too low?
That's life. Sometimes it's going to be lower than you expected (we tend to be biased about our own shows).
There's always fluctuation in the scores because each show is judged by a random group of members. In the long run, it works pretty well, but occasionally it can be disappointing.
Don't blame the community. A lot of it has to do with the way the algorithm works, and it's not really anyone's fault.
Do NOT complain about your results on the site.
But I got totally screwed!
Relax, it's just a game. If the scores are everything to you, this isn't the place for you.
How can I get more Likes?
Make better shows. Especially ones that are a fun to watch.
Let your friends know when you've published a show.
Thank people when they leave a nice comment.
Do NOT spam the forum, profiles, or show comments to promote your show.
How can I get feedback/criticism?
Criticism is NOT allowed in the show comments.
The ONLY place to give and ask for critical feedback is in the Critique forum.
There are just too many misunderstandings otherwise.
What if I get a bad comment?
You should always delete comments you don't like.
If it's inappropriate or insulting, do NOT retaliate or respond on their profile. Contact a Captain and we'll deal with it.
Believe it or not, a bad comment might not mean that they gave a bad score. (and vice versa)
How should I judge?
Give better shows a higher number. Use a wide range of scores.
It's ok to give the occasional 10. That doesn't mean it's "perfect" -- it just means it represents the very best of MML.
Everyone has their own criteria, but always be honest.
Voting dishonestly will result in a permanent ban (we track all votes, and are good at finding these things).
Giving out low votes will not increase your own show's chance of being featured.
Using another profile to vote for your own show won't work either.
You might not like a certain kind of show (e.g. indoor drum shows), but you must try to judge it fairly.
Don't collude with others -- we want your individual judgement, not influenced by someone else.
How do I spell "queue"?
Queue is spelled Q-U-E-U-E. That's two ue's.
Yes, it's weird, but please spell it correctly.
It is pronounced like "cue", but do not spell it that way.
