Downvote:

Duplicate idea or very similar theme to existing forum. We have a zombie forum, so don’t submit a zombie themed idea. Duh. Ditto a furry forum, or denture forum, or polygamy forum. FAIL.

Idea that rips off something I or someone else just submitted, and copypastas but only changes a few words. These submissions are unoriginal and leech votes from the first submission.

Bad grammar.

The three subfora are too similar, uninspiring, or unrelated to main suggested forum idea. In other words, if you suggest a Candle Collectors forum and the subfora are Ferraris, Buck Teeth and WHAAAARGH!, it’s just nonsensical.

Forum that seems to exist due to a personal vendetta against a group or forum no one else knows or cares about.

Forum that has been submitted and gotten negative votes for, like, a month or two. At some point, you should give up. It may be a great forum idea, but the FW tards just don’t like it, so try something else.

Really, really long avatar names.

Avatar names that have nothing to do with the forum theme.

Avatar name rips off idea of previous submission, and is also less funny.

Posts that use a lot of madlibs. Usually they are less funny if they have more than 2 or 3, tops.

Themes / posts / avatars that are too real-life topical / seasonal…this is just common sense. Sour grapes / gloating political avatars / posts fail. Xmas forum themes fail. Y2K Bug-themed forum? Uh…where have you been hiding?

If I am bored before I even get to the “example” post part of the post submission, it’s going to bore me more seeing it 400+ times when pwning the forum.

Upvote:

Idea that parodies recognizable Internet site or group, or creates an amusing “should exist” group.

Idea that offers three good thread categories.

Idea that should inspire original content when / if it wins.

Idea that seems to fit in with the style of humor and in-jokes on FW.

I have a soft spot for amusing memes, but if it is the only thing going for an otherwise bland or bad submission, it won’t save it.

Clever use of a less-popular madlib.

Avatar name is clever and smart, rather than the expected joke.

If two forums are very similar, implying plagiarism of concept, I upvote the one that was submitted first.

Slick forum designs without misspelled words.

Ideas that indicate submitter has some pop culture awareness beyond the last 10-15 years, reads books, has a quirky mind.

If I actually smile or laugh, upvote.

It’s too bad voting only offers “Y/N/**** it, I can’t be bothered to vote either way” options. I suspect we’d get better submissions if there was a scale with a little more variety, say -5 to 0 to +5. This would mess up the current scoop system, alas. But sometimes something is REALLY good, and sometimes something is REALLY crap, and sometimes something is just MEH.