Keep in mind, the rules haven't been set in stone, and additions are welcome if we can find good things to specifically mention in them.
Duplicate suggestions are something we have different methods of dealing with, depending on the situation. For instance, literally identical suggestions will usually not be kept around . . . say, if two people each make topics proposing the exact same item with the exact same implementation. We would normally favor the original poster. There are some exceptions here though:
1. If someone has a megathread which includes a concept, and then someone makes a specific thread devoted to that concept. An example of this is that SzGamer has an interesting thread dedicated to creating a multitude of new bullet types, including but not limited to Tungsten bullets. Later on it came to our attention that other people were creating dedicated "Tungsten bullet" threads. We felt that due to the extra attention being given to JUST that bullet type, they deserved their own thread, as a megathread doesn't quite provide the same dedicated attention. Similarly, if two people each have megathreads full of many suggestions, we aren't going to be locking anything based on one or two duplicates.
2. There are a few concepts out there that are SO often suggested, sometimes with so many variations, that we've decided to let them go. The most well known example of this are the multitude of "Terra Boots" proposals (any variation of Lava Waders + Frostspark Boots tinkers). If we were to lock all but the earliest suggestion of this, we'd be locking two or three dozen topics all the way back to TO . . . which just isn't practical. As a result, we let people have their own takes on it.
3. When people have similar ideas that have unique implementation. We normally will let the alternate variation stand, because its the variation that makes these different concepts unique. If we locked all but the "first" proposal of something like this, we'd be stamping out opportunity for creativity and original designs.
So what does that have to do with your point of duplicates? Well, if the suggestion IS truly a duplicate that we would be inclined to close, posting a link to the original thread is fine . . . but if all you are doing is pointing out your own variation with a curt "this has already been done", we'd rather you not. We would MUCH rather you report the thread as a duplicate with the original thread linked in the report, so we can make the call. If the thread is a real duplicate, we will likely lock it and provide the link ourselves. If it is sufficiently unique to leave open, or falls under one of the criteria above, we probably won't act on it. We really don't think "claiming" concepts and then trying to close all variations of that suggestion is a good thing for the suggestions section, so we would rather leave open a near duplicate than close a similar but unique variation (we err on the side of favoring the duplicate, rather than the original).
Too long, didn't read? Short answer is that the safest bet is to report duplicate threads with a link to the original so that we can try to handle it. Posting one suggestion in another is a risky area that can often be seen as advertising, especially if YOU made the original. So be careful about that.
Input Needed: Is this something you guys would like to see briefly covered in this rule amendment? These aren't set in stone. We can add a bit about calling out duplicates and to report and move on instead.
Sounds great. I was a little concerned about the use of "unoriginal". Though I do use it often, I tend to use it in a nice and not so much of a hard hitting manner. Well done for the new rules, hope things will start getting better around here.
My problem with the word is that it doesn't carry much accurate meaning. It is being used to convey "boring or uninspired" but the truth is that it is usually describing topics that "it was interesting the first time I read it, but this is the 10th time I've read it". The inherent problem with that is that it usually IS a good suggestion that is just so obvious (Terra Boots, for instance) that it is independently invented dozens of times . . . does that make it unoriginal? I don't think it does. To the person suggesting the 50th rendition of the Terra Boots, it could be the first time they've seen such a thing. To them it is novel and intriguing. Telling them its unoriginal isn't going to explain much to them, because they just won't get it.
It is also thrown out a lot to describe suggestions which are crudely implemented or "overpowered", such as insanely powerful "True Terra Blades" and the like. There is nothing unoriginal about that, it is, in fact, a logical progression of the "True" series of weapons, which is why so many people come up with it. Does that make it unoriginal? Sure, it means 100 people already came up with idea, but what does telling people that help? Focus more on the legitimate flaws of the suggestion, not the fact that its been done before . . . after all, the 100th variation might be the best one.