Reference Stacks
Why Content Gets Deleted
NO CHOICE: If chapter deletion, author failed to provide two viable options to the chapter. If path deletion, path was not viable.
This was another trick pulled by users overprotective of their plots, especially during that month when "None of the above" was deactivated. They would end each chapter by making path 1 the outcome they intended, and path 2 something completely non-viable, like "nothing" or "..." or "~-~-~-~-~".
See, they didn't want the story to be allowed to branch. They didn't want readers to get to choose their own adventure -- and I hope you can see what's wrong with that!
Another variation: Some users would decide that his/her chapter was the end of the story, and wrote "The End," or "you die" in both the paths in order to discourage further participation.
(This is also an example of the way product misuse can inform product enhancement. I eventually added the "The End" feature in response.)
Neither of these really hurt the viability of the story so long as a user can always create a third path. But I'm adding them to the list of deletable offenses in order to discourage the practice. I've got the hammer, dammit! And I'm going to use it!
