If Tropicon wants to try to collect commissions, then so be it. But this thread (plus the other) went from zero to "has LTIan paid up yet?" in no time at all. Begging for money is as bad, or worse, than begging for maps.
For what it's worth, I think people pretty much ignore stickied threads before posting, as a rule. I'd lean towards closing the board, but I'd also be completely fine with just leaving things as they are. Just don't push things the other direction 
Let me make this clear: "I do not commission people with money!"
Believe me, I can't pay Trop with money even if I wanted to. But unfortunately, my dad has CONFISCATED my bank card, so I cannot make any sort of money-paid commission!
Tropicon is accepting commissioned requests on his deviantArt page, as he said, and so if the thought of money changing hands just for maps tarnishes VGMaps.com, then I won't comment on it more than necessary moving forward.
Until I can pay off my Student Loan in its entirety, I cannot regain control of my Dollar Bank Account. Therefore, I cannot commission people.
LTIan, I don't know what price Tropicon quoted you for the Road Runner: Death Valley Rally maps - assuming you had discussed it at any length - but I'm not sure that it warrants such a negative response.
Now I'm not necessarily vouching for Tropicon here as I don't even know what his price is for that. And not knowing how difficult the game is to map I can't comment on that specifically, but I would imagine it's probably not simply an otherwise-impossibility that can only be overcome by being paid for.
Revned, you're right, maps can be and have been made for the fun of it. Some maps may never get mapped though, and if commissions adds the motivation for a mapper to figure out how, and if the requestor is willing to pay, then I don't think that's so wrong.
Because remember, it's commission, not ransom. If someone can find a way to map it and does so, and submits it with no expectation of money - as every map so far has been, as far as I know, then great!
If Tropicon is extra-motivated by money, and a requester is willing to pay that amount, I see no problem with that. Artists do that all the time. And we can debate whether or not stitching screenshots together is the same as paying for the individual and unique talents of a traditional artist, but the point is that no one can really stop any transaction between two people that are happy with that arrangement.
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However, we still have the (apparent) problem of people making requests - or maybe more accurately, making requests with too much expectation, or too little understanding/appreciation of the work involved. What now? Any suggestions?
I'm still reluctant to close it down totally. It doesn't feel like it's enough of a spammish annoyance, it's not like requests show up every day.
How about this...would a stickied topic telling people of common-sense guidelines and not-so-common-sense explanations of the challenges involved help at all, do you think? Like a "Things to consider before you request..." sort of topic? Or is that weaksauce? Would be better than not having anything at all, though, right?
I do not make ransoms. Believe me, I am not a law-breaking villain.
I am still not going to pay Trop any sort of money for any maps to ripped. My requests can stay on that list for as long as it takes.
A sticky topic would be a good idea. Though I would have it called: "The Rules and Regulations of Requesting", that would help.
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