Very good post. I kinda agree fully to it, and it motivates me to judge sometime, when I'm a bit more skilled.

One potential problem with starting early is that it will be easier for you to drive tracks which you already practiced before the actual judging started, than those track that were submitted close to the deadline and you only play them for the first time when judging.

This may create an unfair impression of difficult/easier (when in fact it may be quite the other way round -- those tracks you already learnt may be overall harder than the tracks you're just learning now).

In general, you should give each track roughly the same chance to appeal to you.

Finally edited this one as I'm not hosting the MTC anymore (just a minor link-change though) - Alcator, feel free to delete or edit this thread in whatever way you wish if you want - not sure if it's any use for you anymore

There are judges for maze dec 2013?

Anything new?

I'm working on it.

well to solve the problem about driving maps before the deadline:

its something I do:
I put in a set number in my mind of how many times I will play the map after I could get at least 1 clean run on a map.

like last time I drove each map 5 times after i could get a clean run.
after these 5 runs I started to judge the map.

after judging all maps I play every map one more time to see if I'm still statified with the givine points and comments.

on this way you'll have a more accurate system to judge each track equally.
(still this can change from person to person)

lolig

Can't judge May's mtc, but you can ask me anytime there is an mtc and I'll see if I have enough time

In my opinion the judging process gets always super complex and very time consuming, which is a real downside - Judges take ages to finish or cannot finish at all.

At first I want to say that we all are humans. So we make mistakes, which is natural, and so we will never be able to be the perfect judge. We are influenced by a lot of things that do not only depend on the maps, but on the world around us, friends, work, relationships, family, mood, weather, etc.
This implicates that no matter how many times or how hard you try the score you'll give in the end for a track always will off, even if it's just a little bit. Thing is, you never know by how much it's wrong.

I suggest:
Less complexity in judging, which might ends in a little less accurate score per judge, but due to the higher number of judges it will even out itself in the final scoring. There should be at least 5 judges. (You can see at least 5 judges at every good sports tournament that requires judging)
An advantage is that judges might have more fun judging as they don't need to drive each map for over half an hour, but are done within 2 hours in total instead.
A small disadvantage is that we need more judges. But those will be easier to find, as judging will be more fun. But the most important advantage is a lot less time consumption. Judges will be able to finish there work without neglecting everything

The judging process should look something like this:
Drive a map until you get a clean run. Then act as if you were on a server and drive clean runs for around 5 mins. Afterwards you can write your score down in the judging sheet. (However, nobody forbids you to keep playing on this track if you yourself like and enjoy it. The map caught your attention then and you can still improve the scoring or give additional points later on, if you want to.)
The part of the judging process in the ( ) is optional.

Those are my 2 cents.

EDIT: btw I want to try this method with all the judges in MTC August.

I'm going to judge the way I want to, which is playing the track until I get a clean run. Clean run isn't just "no wallhit". I look at the judging sheet and whenever I feel the need to look at the track again I do. This is more accurate and I'm not only going to do so if I like the track. Tracks can grow better and better, which is why I try to be patient and get the hang of each and every part

I can understand that it might take too long for some people, but I got holidays anyways

Will you be a judge gado? I think that is a good way if you have time, so I hope you are