What release date do you put in the txt?

[kuchitsu]

I see at least four options:

1) The date when you posted the first version on Doomworld
2) The date when you posted the final version on Doomworld
3) The date when you uploaded it to the archive
4) The date when it arrived to the archive (magicians only?)

[Li'l devil]

3, of course. I think it's the obvious choice.

[scifista42]

5) The date when you last modified the wad file (respectively any substantial file that's part of the uploaded work, not counting the textfile)
6) The date when you last modified the textfile :)

Either 3 or 5 or 6.

[kuchitsu]

Hmm I dunno, seems strange to write "Date: 2016/bla/bla" for a wad that was already available here in 2011 for example. That's how they did it on the wiki so now it looks like I made a lot of wads in 2014, even though in reality they were created over the course of a few years. Misleading imo.

[gaspe]

1 has sense if you post the complete wad and you will do only eventual bug fixes or slight changes to the map. If you post the maps as you finish them the option 2 is fine if you choose the date when the definitive last map was added to the wad.

[scifista42]

I'll elaborate on my previous post. I mentioned options 5 and 6 because such a date may just easily end up in the uploaded textfile, partly intentionally and partly unintentionally.

Consider this hypothetical situation: I've been working on my multi-map wad for some time. I've finally finished it on April 3rd. I've decided to upload the wad to /idgames before/without posting it on Doomworld, but first, playtest the wad on my own before I do so. On April 4th, halfway through my playtesting, I decide to write a textfile for the wad. The release date I put there is naturally either the date when I'm writing the textfile (April 4th), or the date which I still have in fresh memory as the date when I finished the wad (April 3rd). Okay, the textfile is made, and I continue with some final playtesting. On April 5th, I decide that there was enough playtesting and the wad is ready to upload to /idgames. Do I bother/remember to update the textfile with April 5th as the release date? Sometimes I remember and update it, sometimes I remember but decide that it's OK as is and keep it as is, and sometimes I forget. Anyway, I upload the wad and the textfile to /idgames on this date. And this is how the textfile that ends up on /idgames will contain a release date either April 3rd, April 4th or April 5th, somewhat depending on chance / my mood / whatever.

And for the sake of completion: April 3rd = option 5, April 4th = option 6, and April 5th = option 3 in this thread's "poll".

[Empyre]

For me, 3, 5, and 6 are usually the same day. The date should be 3, the day it is released. As far as 1 and 2 are concerned, each version should have its own unique file name (with a version number) and its own release date.

[plums]

I think putting the archive upload date is a bit redundant, since the archive info also contains the date it was uploaded there.

You could always put multiple dates, i.e first public version, current bugfixed version, etc.

[scifista42]

Maybe the archive could use a script that, upon the wad being approved by a maintainer, would automatically find the "release date" entry in the textfile and rewrite* it with the date when the file was uploaded to /incoming according to the archive's recordings.

*If not downright rewrite it, at least add a note. For example, if the original textfile contained this line:

Release date: April 5th, 2016

The script would change it to this:

Release date: April 5th, 2016 (Uploaded on April 13th, 2016)

But it would make sense to completely rewrite the original manually-entered date with the true upload date, IMO.

[purist]

I'd use the the date I upload it to /idgames but if you make it available to the community long before then it's reasonable to use the date the finished version was uploaded whether it was to /idgames or not.