Can I make a suggestion?

RPGC Assistance Forums Messageboard Help and Testing
#1

Okay, I think this is a rather large request, but hear me out, okay? Anyway, I’ve seen several incidents of users having their post counts dropped. Most notable of these is, of course, Setz. =P I myself have made 292 posts as of this post, but only 245 of them are in my count. (13 are in the RP forum, but still) Anyway, I’ve been thinking that it’s not really all that fair. (Or accurate. I occasionally add up my post counts from all the forums I visit, and figure out my overall posts online (somewhere around 2000))

I think, basically, the idea behind it is to make the boards a bit more self-moderating.

Anyway, my suggestion is, perhaps introducing a karma system? Ie. these little boxes: . There was a rather lengthy debate about introducing it at another forum, but they’ve had it for over a year now, and there’ve been no major problems about it.

Here’s basically how it works at the other forum:

I’m sure it would have to work a bit differently here, because this is a different forum, with different people that have different attitudes, but that’s the basic idea. I, for one, think it would be more effective than dropping someone’s post count over and over again. (Ie. member spams to get it up, then it’s dropped, he spams again, etc., we’ve all seen it happen) I’m thinking this kind of system could help prevent that. By getting a bunch of ‘bad karma’ when he spams, said member should learn to stop spamming, right? Learning that only posting intelligently will keep his karma rating high. (no, I’m not referring to anyone in particular, here =P)

Anyway, I just thought I’d introduce the idea, because it’s worked very well at my other forum, and I figured it might help to curb a lot of the spam that floats around here. Thanks for listening to my suggestion, and I hope you’ll at least consider it.

(Spoiler contains uncharacteristic crude language)

I dunno, think of it as the ‘e-testicles’ or something. Since the post count is the ‘e-penis.’

#2

We’ve got a ton of mods and it’s a rather small forum, self-moderating stuff like this which never works isn’t needed in my opinion. Plus, it would encourage clique veteran vs newbie bullshit which nobody wants. The amount of retards that spam purely for postcount is actually rather small here, Setz is the only retard that truly fits this category that I can think of at the top of my head.

#3

A lot of your concerns were brought up at that forum, too. I must say, that though Agora is a small forum, it’s a very active one. More so than most others I visit. I don’t think it would encourage vet. vs. n00b crap, myself. It didn’t happen over there, and, though it might here, I think with proper guidelines in place, like we have over there, would help out a lot with that. Anyway, I wouldn’t be so quick to dismiss it. If it worked properly, wouldn’t it make your job a lot easier? I’ll tell you, I barely have to do any moderating on that forum. Most of the members follow the rules quite well.

Anyway, it’s just a suggestion, and I hope the other mods, and the admins will think about it as well. Perhaps trying it as a temporary thing? To see if it works? After all, there’s always the ‘off’ switch if it doesn’t work out right. =P

#4

It kinda reminds me of the customer feedback system that e-bay has in place, which works pretty well for them. Can’t hurt to try, can it?

#5

It can hurt because it’ll turn into a popularity contest, which IMO is counterproductive. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Mods aren’t all that busy at this forum. :sunglasses:

#6

Yeah, I dont think this is needed.

#7

If that system were activ, and you said that you gave someone a minus(i would give sorcerer one for that post) would it count if he then gave me a minus just for doing so to him.Is that really fair?

BTW i would do that for not being elaborated enough or for even posing a question when it is short.

#8

Yes, it would count, but, the idea is that you wouldn’t be petty enough to give someone bad karma as revenge, or because you don’t like them. It’s meant to reward good, well-explained/reasoned posts that contribute to the thread, and punish spam, trolls, and the like.

Anyway, if that’s the verdict of the RPGC Agora team, I won’t argue it, and, though I don’t think it would be as bad as you say it would be, I won’t say anything more about it.

Thanks for (hopefully) thinking about it, and hearing my suggestion. I appreciate it. Even though you decided not to take it up.

EDIT: And this is my 300th post! Even though only 251 count. I’m wondering what I did to get my postcount lowered, if it’s not that I posted 49 times in forums where post count isn’t boosted.

#9

You probably did post in non-count forums, there are more of them than just the Polling Forum.

#10

The people here are petty enough to give people bad reputation for revenge or out of spite.

#11

-10 Reputation points for Epic.

#12

doesn’t gamefaqs use a karma system?

yeah.

#13

A karma system would be bad, and would probably bring up old vs new. I could easily see people that come who aren’t popular at first getting their karma blasted. It would be similar to what happened with the ToB, it got abused by the regulars and new people would get ostrasized (SP?) for not conforming to the unwritten rules. I could easily see a newbie that dosen’t know getting blasted, or revenge trips coming in to play very often. Also people on other boards with this tend to be childish and rate down people for stupid shit like a different opinion. Very few people here actually break the rules, and the moderator team does a fine job keeping the boards in check. This isn’t some over populated under staffed board that needs self moderating stuff like this.

#14

Furthermore, why would you give me negative karma for saying that I don’t think something like that is needed? Do I have to go into intricate paragraphs to explain my reasoning? No.

Sooo…fuck off.

#15

this would be useful if instead of karma we called it power.