Prematurely launched pages and pages that weren't fully fleshed out at the point of launching, are a big problem. Since these usually share several problems at once, this thread is aimed at re-running them through the TLP for fixing - the usual fix - or cutting them if they are too bad.
Problems this thread deals with include bad names, not enough/bad examples, unclear description, etc.
For the interested, here's a list of recently created pages
. Launches
Note: Please do not request a mod to unlaunch drafts that don't have any issues besides lacking a launch notice/24hr launch notice. While 24hr launch notices are mandatory, there are a few exceptions to the rule. If you see a draft's sponsor launch a TLP without an announcement, it's best to remind them of our TLP Guidelines first. If they continue to repeatedly launch drafts without a launch notice, you can report them on Ask The Tropers or the TLP Community Issues
thread.
Edited by MacronNotes on Jun 24th 2023 at 12:24:55 PM
We'd love to update the launch interface (since it's pretty outdated even without that part), but that's an Admin-Level fix.
Though as I've said before, I'm still unconvinced that Stealth Launching in and of itself should be taken this goddamn seriously. Before, we considered it bad because it often implied rushed launches, but it doesn't always and I maintain that if a trope is in solid condition before the launch, a lack of a launch notice shouldn't be an immediate send-back.
Working on: Author Appeal | Sandbox | Troper WallWhen I bring up stealth launches, it's not because I want the sponsor in trouble, but because I'm curious if anything went undiscussed that we could fix before it becomes a problem. I don't think stealth launching is a big deal when there's resolved discussion and a draft in very good shape.
I do some cleanup and then I enjoy shows you probably think are cringe.~Tropers/dawndusk, I wanted to assume (that you were aware of the rule and attempting to comply). That's what "good faith" meant in this context. The TLP header has the following instruction: "Please see the TLP Guidelines for the full etiquette of TLP." So yes, I expect everyone to follow the policies as laid out there.
This ties into why I enforce the rule in this way; the wiki has had two recent
threads
about making massive changes to the TLP. Despite the "Launching a trope without notice [...] can get you suspended." notice, I don't enforce it with suspensions and if it goes unnoticed long enough I don't unlaunch the article. Every time I unlaunch, I link the Administrivia page.
I basically treat violations as an excuse to plug the updated Guidelines to an editor that probably isn't familiar with it. I only issue suspensions for violating that rule if they're a serial offender and would be quite fine with the rule being removed (as Prematurely covers "unaddressed issues or unfinished discussion"). Of course, it should also be remembered that I'm hoping for an admin-level change that makes "ready to launch" a different sort of draft than "is this tropeworthy?", negating the need for putting the announcement in the title/laconic.
I have a concern about The Ghost King, which is a new launch.
I've just removed an example, which was listed as a subversion because the Ghost King in question doesn't actually rule the ghosts. However, the reason I've removed it is because the creature in question is not an example of Ghastly Ghost. The trope has been launched stating that it's a sub-trope of Ghastly Ghost.
There's at least one other entry on the page that's a subversion of the idea of The Ghost King being evil or villainous (the character in question is benevolent). However, the trope description states that, while The Ghost King is usually evil, it's not always. So, is being benevolent really a subversion, or just a rare non-evil example?
Also... does being evil or villainous by itself count as a Ghastly Ghost example?
My point here is that I'm not sure the trope has thought through its trope relationships properly (I'm not sure if it's genuinely a sub-trope of Ghastly Ghost so much as two tropes that can sometimes overlap) and that it hasn't thought through its relationship with good and evil/hero and villain/protagonist and antagonist properly.
Edited to add: Someone did mention in the draft that they have concerns about the trope description, although their concerns are different to the ones I've just raised. There's no indication that the troper creator has acknowledged or dealt with those concerns in any way. The reason this trope appears to be a sub-trope of Ghastly Ghost is because the very last comment on the draft before launch suggests making one (no reason given as to why). There's no comment by the trope creator that they intend to launch the page, so it's been launched without warning.
I've also had to clean up a crosswick where The Ghost King was inserted into Our Ghosts Are Different... under the powers section, without any explanation. It stood out like a sore thumb for being ZCE and for not being a ghostly power. I removed it and placed it at the bottom of the trope description stating that it's a sub-trope of Our Ghosts Are Different. But, that's another reason why I'm concerned its trope relationships have not been properly thought through.
Edited by Wyldchyld on Apr 19th 2021 at 9:40:26 AM
If my post doesn't mention a giant flying sperm whale with oversized teeth and lionfish fins for flippers, it just isn't worth reading.Posting here because apparently the stub page notifier asks notified tropers to come here:
As of launching, and as of posting, Elain the Bounty Hunter is only one sentence, lacking any tropes at all. A character page is possible, but I am not familiar enough with the source material to add to it. It has only been edited once.
The same also applies to One Eyed Ripper. Its character subpage has tropes, but they are low on context, and the page's formatting is broken.
Edited by GoldenCityBird on Apr 19th 2021 at 2:42:12 PM
TRS Wick CleaningOur Witches Are Different
looks like it was rogue discarded by ~shadowXBC.
Punished For No Sympathy was stealth-launched by the sponsor when the draft
had a net +1 hats (5/4) and outstanding questions of whether it was distinct from Laser-Guided Karma.
Hard to glean that from "good faith," but now we're obscuring the forest for the trees. The point is I'm not the first neophyte who has made that mistake, and I won't be the last.
Again, not at all upset by the unlaunch - I'd never expect to be perfect the first time I did anything, and I'm grateful for a lesson learned, but the manner in which you pinged me here came off as unnecessarily biting. Perhaps I misread.
Cheers.
Edited by dawndusk on Apr 21st 2021 at 4:40:41 AM
test
Berserk Button: misusing Nightmare Fuel
Time Period Twist was rogue-launched by ~Hana Chan 5, who did not participate in the discussion. There were still lots of examples in the replies that had yet to be added to the draft. There was also some ongoing discussion about its definition.
Sub-Par Supremacist and Crazy Is Cool seem to have been stealth launched by their sponsors.
Edited by rmctagg09 on Apr 22nd 2021 at 10:50:42 AM
Hugging a Vanillite will give you frostbite.
Dunno about SPS, but Crazy Is Cool had a tag, I believe.
I just checked, and Crazy Is Cool did have a notice in the title for 2 days. I can't find anything on Sub-Par Supremacist. In fact, it hadn't been touched in any way since Mar 14th.
Crazy Is Cool had a tag and it's part of a TRS effort, so those tend to launch a bit faster in my experience.
I do some cleanup and then I enjoy shows you probably think are cringe.Live on Stage! was launched by someone other than the sponsor
, though they did say they'd launch today which is... weird? Is the launcher another account of the sponsor?
In any case, it suffers heavily from 90% of examples being basically ZC Es, more or less being "X is this."
Edited by Larkmarn on Apr 23rd 2021 at 8:05:50 AM
Found a Youtube Channel with political stances you want to share? Hop on over to this page and add them.
Yeah, that's definitely odd...
So I have a concern about this draft
. Specifically, the fact that the sponsor has announced a 24 hr launch...despite numerous people posting concerns about the scope and if the concept is already covered. Concerns that have gone unaddressed. I already posted to try and halt them, but they've made no indication that they've even noticed my post- the launch tag is still there and the only person they replied to was the person who posted below me.
We either need to get them to stop the launch, or we need to keep an eye on the draft to shoot it out of the sky if they do launch tomorrow.
Working on: Author Appeal | Sandbox | Troper WallFactory Game, per ATT
, was rogue launched
, but the trope does not exist because the launcher is edit banned.
Edited by Tabs on Apr 24th 2021 at 7:06:52 AM
The troper is now even more suspended.
"It's Occam's Shuriken! If the answer is elusive, never rule out ninjas!"

Same here. TLP Guidelines links to How To Create And Launch TLP Drafts, that says that "This (announcing that the trope will be launched) used to be optional, but now it's a requirement in almost all cases." Perhaps this should be mentioned in the launch interface?
Ultimate Secret Wars