@Ametheliana I don't think usage of the NTSE is a good indicator of a person's 'plans'. I used the NTSE almost as soon as reasonably possible. I've actually submitted a good few things through it as well, and not once was I thinking about being part of an arms race. I just made technology that I thought the site could use, and that I felt wasn't too OP. Now I did accidentally make one thing that is a 'soft' OP, but that was because I didn't really understand the physics behind what I put together at first.
But @Fred also mentions something important, and it's why I'm hesitant to agree with anyone who puts all the blame on the mods. NTSE mods are volunteers, with the only real tool for getting their job done being their ability to say "No you can't have this." But many times Wes has been called in in an attempt to over turn, or a mod has been rejected and the submitter goes to a friend. Yeah our NTSE mods aren't perfect and they're not the most efficient, but who would be with the kind of situations they have to put up with?
But @Fred also mentions something important, and it's why I'm hesitant to agree with anyone who puts all the blame on the mods. NTSE mods are volunteers, with the only real tool for getting their job done being their ability to say "No you can't have this." But many times Wes has been called in in an attempt to over turn, or a mod has been rejected and the submitter goes to a friend. Yeah our NTSE mods aren't perfect and they're not the most efficient, but who would be with the kind of situations they have to put up with?