Suggestion for the forum from an old user

[Andredal]

I don't know if you're going to take these to heart, but i've been a forum user since the early 2000's. I like to think i know a little of how a good forum is run or how it looks like. If you take these suggestions to heart is something i would love to see, but i understand if you can't. My first suggestion is to add levels to the forum. Like the old gamespot and IGN use for their users, or at least used to have on their sites. To award users for returning and posting. I know there is a system already there. But a more sophisticated one i think would be better. Perhaps you could also add badges for users to earn and also make them stand out. Like having anniversery badges for when they signed up like 1 year anniversery for example. Another one would be "blogger" for being a contributer for blogging or a "user reviewer" for making a lot of user reviews.
I would also suggest making a forum for consoles and PC for discussion purposes. Adding another forum where users can blog as well would also be a good idea.

[ola_norsk]

My first suggestion is to add levels to the forum. Like the old gamespot and IGN use for their users, or at least used to have on their sites. To award users for returning and posting.

Be honest, What you really want, is to be able brandish your registration date, and "badges" to future users.

flaunting "I've been a member longer than you, n00b!!" .. Correct ? .. "i've been a forum user since the early 2000's"

Why don't you simply man up and outright ask: "Can i haz be moderator?" ..

[Forge]

[aileron]

Maybe they're suggesting other people would like it too? I don't really give two $#@&$ about it, but if it might increase usage, why not? Wouldn't potential future disruptive behavior be handled by the mods?

[Andredal]

Be honest, What you really want, is to be able brandish your registration date, and "badges" to future users.

flaunting "I've been a member longer than you, n00b!!" .. Correct ? .. "i've been a forum user since the early 2000's"

Why don't you simply man up and outright ask: "Can i haz be moderator?" ..

Nice of you to strawman me like that. No i don't want to be mod. I said these are suggestions. Something people might like to have as a feature. Crying out loud man...

[Methpoodle]

I had to look up "strawman" You learn something every day.

[ola_norsk]

Oh lighten up, you negative nelly you. "Nice of you to strawman me like that" ..

Your strawman is feeble, and he's crying out loudly

[Andredal]

Maybe they're suggesting other people would like it too? I don't really give two $#@&$ about it, but if it might increase usage, why not? Wouldn't potential future disruptive behavior be handled by the mods?

Kinda my point in suggesting things isn't it?

[Zalachai]

*sits down in rocking chair. Places cane on lap. Picks a up a jug of moonshine*

Listen here boy, I used to be a moderator back in the early days of the internet when forums were made of dreams, and pirating wasn't so gosh darn easy to track. Back probably '02. Maybe even earlier than that. Anyways, badges might be fun. As far as areas inaccessible to newbs, I dunno.

[Methpoodle]

These whippersnappers will never know the joy of Napster.

[Zalachai]

I used Ares which was a knockoff. Helped out on a site called Anime Ares.

[Firebrand]

I don't know if you're going to take these to heart, but i've been a forum user since the early 2000's. I like to think i know a little of how a good forum is run or how it looks like.

Solid suggestions. The rep system is very popular on a lot of forums and can work here. It is a bit of a double-edge sword: veteran posters may flaunt their "titles," but rep can also keep some shitlords in check especially if they've managed to accumulate a hefty amount, so the fear of loosing "something" may keep peeps in check (possibly).

I do believe that initial EG Site backers may get some sort of forum insignia ... not a 100% sure tho.

[LiamC]

While incentives might appeal to some what are they going to be based upon and what kind of activity is that going to lead to? If you do it just on posts then we’re gonna end up with a bunch of those lame “first!” posts to people’s comments. If it’s only tied to time, its nice but how much does it add besides bragging rights? If it could be based upon a combination of some of these things it could be useful. Maybe a badge system combining your number of posts and the number of likes you receive? Then we could see if people consider what you say to be relevant.

[Tom]

You've got the Join Date, you've got the post counter, what else do you need haha
But seriously, why not just talk about games and that's it ?

I'd say: let them users standout by their deeds and not the badge.
Exception will be for the IGG backers.

[LiamC]

Silly question Tom...what are IGG backers?

[Tom]

@LiamC
IGG - IndieGoGo, the site where crowdfunding for the site was based
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/e...cting-escapism

[LiamC]

Thanks Tom, I should have guessed that

[Forge]

Exception will be for the IGG backers.

So.....the loot-box of the forum.

The option to stay anonymous, or get the "benefit".
People may like shiny receipts for what they feel is money well spent.
Personally, if given the choice, IF I had donated, I'd choose to remain an anonymous random idiot. I prefer being easily ignored.

[Tom]

loot-box of the forum.

Can't see how's that the "lootbox" haha, but whatever
Yeah, but that benefit is well deserved, without the backers this forum couldn't be possible (well technically could, but come on),
this is what actually deserves recognition, imo.

I don't see anything bad if people want to be associated as a supporters of this initiative by having "Backer's badge",
to show others their eagerness in supporting this community which is us.

[MadMummy76]

Can't see how's that the "lootbox" haha, but whatever
Yeah, but that benefit is well deserved, without the backers this forum couldn't be possible (well technically could, but come on),
this is what actually deserves recognition, imo.

I don't see anything bad if people want to be associated as a supporters of this initiative by having "Backer's badge",
to show others their eagerness in supporting this community which is us.

It's not the loot-box it's the pay to win of the forum. Basically "my opinion matters more, because I' ma donor" That said I don't mind showing it on the profile page of users

But it seems to me, that badges for various forum activities are incentives for worthless posts. "Gez I must post because I get a badge for participating in big poster week" or whatever. It's generally a bad idea to put some users above others, and badges tend to do just that.

[LiamC]

MadMummy: I can see your point, but the idea of someones opinion mattering more because of funding only works if you actually believe that. Good mods should stop the bad behavior of posters no matter who they are, and dumb ideas should die of natural causes, shouldn't they?

[Hosenfeld]

Honestly, the best way to improve this forum, by far, would be to change it to a phpBB forum - hands down. It's just plain better.

I can't believe anyone would pay for a worse forum... :x yikes! But what's done is done.

Of course, this is partially just my opinion. But when you do a more objective side-by-side comparison, you can see it, too:
https://www.forum-software.org/forum...in4-vs-xenforo
(Note: In fact, that seems quite outdated, as things are wrong about phpbb for sure in that chart(for instance, it claims phpbb does not have the ability to hide forums, yet it definitely does have that ability; it also shows that you can't make plain posts, when in reality, you very obviously can).)
It's worth keeping in mind that even with all the false/outdated negative claims within the chart about phpbb, it still is the best among the group. Now considering that, & the fact that it should actually be corrected in many places for the better but hasn't been, I mean - seems the obvious winner, imho.

[Tom]

It's not the loot-box it's the pay to win of the forum. Basically "my opinion matters more, because I' ma donor" That said I don't mind showing it on the profile page of users

But it seems to me, that badges for various forum activities are incentives for worthless posts. "Gez I must post because I get a badge for participating in big poster week" or whatever. It's generally a bad idea to put some users above others, and badges tend to do just that.

In my original post i stated that badges are unnecessary and the only group which should have it are the people who have supported forum financially during the launch. There are no "various forum activities ", only the IGG backing in all my replies. More attention nextime.

Also i wouldn't rush the conclusion that all supporters would be like "my opinion matters more, because I' ma donor", that's quite disrespectful , especially without observing atleast a single instance of that happening here.

You expect them badge-kiddies to be toxic while you're kinda crossing the line already with your assumption in the first place.

I'll conclude this by saying: if people want to brag about it, let them do it, it's not ours god damn business to question their intention.
For everything else there are forum rules. Regulating people's mindset about things isn't a good direction.