Forum "culture"

[Quel0]

I've been using forums for quite some time and the one thing I will never understand is why there are forum "awards" for posting, being nice, taking out the admin's dogs for a walk. Isn't this just a place for communication? Are there situations in RL where people strive for similar feedback within their compendium of conversation? I'm interested to know if anyone else questions the absurdity of the whole thing... maybe I'll receive an award for this post!! *Hopes*




*not really*

 

[Silent Biohazard Solid]

Well, the way I see it is, it doesn't require any extra effort on my part. The admins decided they wanted to program something like that in, that's their labor.
It doesn't hinder me.

 

[SargentToughie]

... Huh?

are you bashing the badges we have here, because I, for one, think they're awesome

 

[TheGhostOfSin]

Have you got some problem with our badges?

Ninja'd Toughie clan'd

 

[Shivari]

I was pleased when I got my Socialite badge. It's kinda fun to get one.

 

[Silent Biohazard Solid]

It's when some idiot is gonna start using the badges as proof of credibility, then it's gonna become a problem.
You know, when someone says something like, "You don't have such and such badge, so your opinion means less than mine. I win."

 

[SargentToughie]

Ninja'd Toughie clan'd

Yes! the Toughie Clan lives outside the Purple rain thread!!

Shoots gun into air

 

[Quel0]

it's a question... not a bash... I'm just curious how the culture evolved to this point.

I've setup my own php forums in the past and have had fun with the badges and such... just wondering what people think about them in a candid discussion.

why the immediate defensiveness?

 

[LordOmnit]

I remember a time without badges here at The Escapist...
However, as I don't know when they were started up that's rather pointless since it could have been the day before I started posting after a few month break.

As for the point of the thread, I will quote the first reply as my own reply as well.

 

[TheGhostOfSin]

Ninja'd Toughie clan'd

Yes! the Toughie Clan lives outside the Purple rain thread!!

Shoots gun into air

It lives everywhere, if there is another election thread it should contend, we aready have a recruitment poster...

 

[Virgil]

I've been using forums for quite some time and the one thing I will never understand is why there are forum "awards" ... Isn't this just a place for communication?

Because, as the shepherds of the site, those things you mention are things we want to have more of here. So we add in code that encourages people to do the things we want them to do. It is utterly transparent, shameless, and fun.

Also, creating them entertains us.

 

[TheGhostOfSin]

Say's one of the people with the best badges, the staff ones

 

[Death Magnetic]

Also, creating them entertains us.

Earning them is pretty good-o as well.

 

[Silent Biohazard Solid]

I've been using forums for quite some time and the one thing I will never understand is why there are forum "awards" ... Isn't this just a place for communication?

Because, as the shepherds of the site, those things you mention are things we want to have more of here. So we add in things that encourage people to do the things we want them to do. It is utterly transparent, shameless, and fun.

Also, creating them entertains us.

Shepherds is an appropriate term. No offense to anyone, but those who say, "I'm gonna participate in so many forums just because I want a badge." Pretty sheepish behavior. But like I said, doesn't hinder me.

 

[Shivari]

Say's one of the people with the best badges, the staff ones

Yeah, that gear one is pretty cool looking.

 

[TheGhostOfSin]

Virgil, you should make a Banhammer badge for the mods.

 

[Virgil]

Shepherds is an appropriate term. No offense to anyone, but those who say, "I'm gonna participate in so many forums just because I want a badge." Pretty sheepish behavior. But like I said, doesn't hinder me.

Oh, certainly, that's what at least a portion of the people are going to do. But the real intent of that is to get people to at least look at some of the other forums.

If someone who normally only comments on articles takes a look at the rest of the forums and decides to join in on a more regular basis, then that makes it worth while. And if they only jump around and post once or twice just to get the badge, no harm done.

Say's one of the people with the best badges, the staff ones

Well, I did build the thing. Only the gears are staff-only though. The others are automatically awarded if you get an article [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/issues/issue_14/88-Setting-the-Stage] or review published, so if you want them, check the user reviews forum or the submissions page [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/content/contact].

Virgil, you should make a Banhammer badge for the mods.

I think there's a few other staff badges being worked on - that might be one. They're lower priority though, so it takes a while.

 

[TheGhostOfSin]

Alas, I shall never get one of the best badges as I am a decididly poor writer, a paragraph is quite a lot for me, nevermind several hundred words...

 

[SargentToughie]

Ninja'd Toughie clan'd

Yes! the Toughie Clan lives outside the Purple rain thread!!

Shoots gun into air

It lives everywhere, if there is another election thread it should contend, we aready have a recruitment poster...

we may have to edit it when another election appears though... it mentions Ninjas, but I agree, next time the escapist holds an Election, the Toughie clan shall run

EDIT: you heard it here first... escapist

 

[TheGhostOfSin]

we may have to edit it when another election appears though... it mentions Ninja's

Well that all depends on who else runs doesn't it.