Alright, I'll be more direct this time: Where is the evidence that these simple comments are the result of players wanting AP?
You're right... there is no proof. I don't frequent other flash game sites, so I don't know if there is a comment box similar to AG's anywhere else, but I'd look for a site that has a comment box but no reward for using it, then look at the comments people leave. If there's no difference, then I'm obviously wrong and I'll shut up. See, I'm not complaining because it's "not fair" for users to earn points this way. I'm simply suggesting an idea that might improve the overall look of the site, as well as help developers continue to improve, which benefits us all.
Possibility of earning a merit should stimulate members to be more elaborate in their feedbacks. At least some of them.
The kind of AP junkie who spams the Feedback box wants his points and wants them now. He could spend half an hour writing a decent comment, or he could spend those thirty minutes rating and commenting on games he probably didn't spend more than a few minutes playing, if at all.
3. Without points for Feedback, a lot of people would leave and it would be a lot harder to make points.
If you stopped giving AP for comments, then everyone would stop going here.
People would leave if it were harder to earn AP? I call shenanigans. People would continue to use the site and would use whatever methods available to earn AP and the "rewards" and "status" that come with them.
Do you really think people tell their friends, "Hey, man, there's this really awesome site where you can leave comments and post on the forum and earn points and the points let you have new ranks and new little avatar thingies for your profile? And oh, by the way... you can play some games there, too."
I doubt it. Users tell their friends about a FLASH GAME site that also has some cool features. Let's not forget that this is a FLASH GAME site. People come to this site to play FLASH GAMES. Yes, this site has an awesome community to go with the FLASH GAMES, which sets it head and shoulders above the rest, but this site started by hosting free FLASH GAMES so people could kill some time and have some fun.
I ran across an AG game on some other flash site years ago, and the game was so awesome (I don't remember which game) that I visited the AG site and started playing games from there. While on deployment to Iraq last year, I had some time to kill, so I went back to good ol' AG. And BAM! Everything's different.
I come to this site to play games. I've spent countless hours playing games on this site. I don't spend my time leaving Feedback (I think I've left 3 in my time here) or posting on the Forums (this is my first and only thread). I know there are many people who are drawn to the community, but I bet >99% first arrived at the site because it hosts FLASH GAMES.
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Here's a simple idea:
If you're not going to post something original or helpful, keep your two cents in your pocket. Those of us who are actually discussing the topic at hand already know there are plenty of you who think it's a bad idea to stop awarding AP for Feedback. (I'd be curious to read the Feedback history of this idea's opponents.) So if all you're going to say is some variation of
If you stop awarding AP for comments, people will stop coming to the site, just say it out loud to yourself and spare the rest of us your eloquent new way of saying the same old thing.
Alric
