That depends. We almost never remove maps from the database, and for good reason. When something is published on the internet, we believe that in most cases it should remain there or redirect to its new location, avoiding the frustration of dead links. Trying to find a map you played eight years ago is a whole lot easier when the links still work.
Our goal is to also build the most complete library of maps that we can. That means that we believe every map — even the crappy, old or buggy ones — should be on the site. Someone may want to see or download it one day regardless of how you feel about it.
That said, there are very few instances where we will remove a map from the database:
- The map is highly innapropriate, slanderous or defamitory in an obviously offensive manner.
- The map is a copy of another map or a direct ripoff of another author's work without written permission and the original author requests it to be removed.
- The map infringes on a 3rd party's intellectual property and the IP holder or legal representative of that 3rd party requests it to be removed.
We will not remove maps for the following reasons, so please don't ask:
- It's old, outdated, a beta version or has bugs and there is no newer version available
- You don't like your map anymore for whatever reason (your skills have improved, you're ashamed, etc)
- You just don't want anyone to download it anymore
- You want to make the map exclusive for some reason (make it only part of a pack, etc)
Of course, there are exceptions to the rules, but our administrators have the total and final say as to whether a map stays or goes. No amount of grousing about it will get you anywhere and impolite and rude removal demands will simply be ignored.
Here are ways to avoid having the issue of needing to remove one of your own maps:
- Keep the entry on Mapraider up to date by submitting the latest version as soon as possible. Mapraider's version control system will make sure the most recent version is displayed even when going to old links.
- Before releasing the map as final, make sure that it is final and make sure that you really really really want to release it. If you submit your map to any site (and not just Mapraider) and people download it, it will be forever on the internet regardless if you have us remove it from our database.
- If you don't want beta versions to appear around the net, only release them privately to your beta testers. You can use Mapraider's built in Private Beta Testing feature to automatically manage this for you.