You would not be abusing the system. It is people that post update logs with things like bump and non-updates merely for the sake of moving their post to the top of the listing again. You would actually only have your submissions moved to the top of the listings with the first update, while the others would simply be logs.

Ooh I had no idea that this was even an issue. I've tried updating my Ezio skins a few times over the past day or so just trying to get the preview to show up properly by editing them in different ways. Four of them were even legitimate updates (I got the sleeve color wrong on one of them and only realized just after posting it, and added shading to the faces of all three). If all the updated were in the last 24 hours, and for a different reason than getting views, I'm not going to be penalized for abusing the system, am I?

I've noticed this problem cropping up again with a few people. I know there is a 24 hour limit for projects being bumped to the top of the recently updated list but I think some are bypassing this by deleting logs and recreating them.

I agree with you that a few hours seems like a good amount of time to constitute an update but I think there are some people out there that think more along the lines of my previous examples.

I personally think it means a meaningful amount of work has been done or a meaningful amount of time was spent. that means something more like a few hours of solo work on something to constitute update worthy results. That is part of the reason Moria has not been updated recently.

This was a matter of confusion on my part then. I have no problem if they are setup for all those things but I do think that a separate comment section should be created then. That would allow people to update info all they want while only "true" submission updates would be bumped to the top of the list. Or maybe only add a check box or button to the current setup indicating it is only an info update. Just a few ideas.

Edit:
Since I'm thinking about it still, I wonder what really defines an update? Could I take my hillside manor project and plant a flower or chop down a tree every other day and call it an update? Or what about just changing the floor material or moving torches around? I wouldn't do this because I think of it as cheating to get more views but as you can see there is clearly a fine line about what an update means to any given person.

The logs were created at my request because I was logging my progress for the Mines of Moria project that I have (check my sig if you care to look at it) and my project description was getting ridiculously long. Currently, there is a plan that individual logs will be able to have their own comments, but that is in the future. Depending on the submission, the logs can be used for different things. They can be used to bring up ideas for voting in the comments, they can be used to talk about future plans, they can be used to track detailed work, they can be used to list current complete versions. I think that I have done all of these at one point or another. What they are not there for is to simply be a device to bump your submission to the top. Other than that, they are kind of like a (very directed) blog about the submission that they are attached to.

I don't think the problem is too bad yet, in fact I would doubt there are more than a few people actually abusing the system. I really think if the offending users were warned about it and told their updates would be watched closely that it would stop pretty fast. I really was only asking this question because I found one particular person who was clearly abusing it and was curious of the guidelines.

Another thing that may be more confusion than anything is how the logs are used. My take on the update logs is that they are there to actually say what you updated about the project or whatever, and that is it. It seems other people use it more for commentary on their projects or future plans and things like that. I would think stuff like this should be edited into the main descriptions if they want people to read it rather than creating logs.

Again, this is only small problem, but it's another that drives me crazy when I see it.

Actually there is a 24 hour cool down period in place. One can still post more than 1 update in a day but it will only be bumped for the first. I forget how long ago I introduced it. I think about 2 weeks ago.

I added a new report type, "Update Log Abuse".

I could generate a daily list of content that is bumped along with the # of updates which would allow us to take a closer look whether the updates are true updates or not. It's not going to happen soon unless the issue gets out of hand.

I think it is currently in the works to disable bumping for about 24 hours if a project already has an update log and bumping one's project that way is against the rules. Submit reports on projects that you see a lot of that on so that we can issue warnings to those people. There may be additions to the mod tools in the future to allow us to remove that sort of thing or automatically detect it.

yeah ive noticed it too, but i do have to admit i did use to abuse it before Cyprezz came along ^.^ and told me to stop
but yeah maybe a 24 hour time limit so you can update it constantly? just a thought

I've noticed this as well. I've seen updated logs where one user simply put =P into the log.
Something's going to have to change on the log updates. Maybe updating the logs won't bring their projects to the front page unless they have a schematic or a world save to update with.
Problem with that, though, is that a user could easily just insert their old save and have the project come back to the front.

Or we'll just have to have people keep on the lookout for other users abusing the system.

I hated it when I tried to update a log, just throwing in some thoughts and explanations on why I may fall behind, but I haven't added anything content wise - I shouldn't have my project brought up, not unless I added something worth while.