If you post an intresting reply on the forums(especially the World events forum) you only get only 1 armor point, but if you play a random game and just give a grade to the game you get 5 times more armor points, which is rather unfair. Also flaging spam and trolling should be encouraged. I think this calls for a change in the user interface.
Well I suppose if you rate the game and comment that makes 4 AP vs the 1 AP for a forum post. And there are quite a few members doing just that to spam for AP. Apparently they didn't take the anatomy class proving that your e-peen has absolutely no bearing in real life...
Really it isn't the length of your posting, but the accuracy and relevance of the information given, and the quality of the delivery. However in order to balance the AP system I would like to see forum posts receiving more AP and perhaps even allowing for merits based on forum posts. However I know that creates a huge strain on the moderators as there are so many postings going on on the forums, and many conversations go so quickly. The only way to mitigate that would be to greatly increase the number of moderators on the site.
And what about the reputation system suggested elsewhere? Base AP on that one, so that good posts gain respect, and for every respect you get you get AP?
That could be manipulated far to easily. All one would have to do is create multiple ghost accounts and simply utilize them to give themselves reputation. The issue is that AP are supposed to be a reward for contributing something meaningful to the site, and unfortunately people would rather use it as a primitive measuring tool for their masculinity. It's unfortunate that some members are behaving so juvenile, but many members are in fact kids so we just have to deal with it I suppose.
Really it isn't the length of your posting, but the accuracy and relevance of the information given, and the quality of the delivery.
But that is quite a problem to do automaticly. Maybe for links to?
And what about the reputation system suggested elsewhere? Base AP on that one, so that good posts gain respect, and for every respect you get you get AP?
I actually thought about that.
All one would have to do is create multiple ghost accounts and simply utilize them to give themselves reputation.
BUT, If we encourge people to regularly rate good comments, A few ghost accounts wouldn't really mind. Also if we give just 1 or 2 points for it, It would be faster just to comment games or write something meaningfull. Also if you add a rule "you can't rate comments that are't _____" it would help.
Actually I think that would be fairly good, that way the community can kind of self regulate and 'demote' the flamers, trolls, and spammers that detract from our experience as a community.
Actually I think that would be fairly good, that way the community can kind of self regulate and 'demote' the flamers, trolls, and spammers that detract from our experience as a community.
There are many different ways a system like this could be messed with though. Some people will suck up just for points. Others would post huge comments with little actual content. And even more would create tons of accounts to boost their main one. Believe me, we have seen it before. At one point we had a system where users could nominate each others game reviews for merits. After a while, a bunch of people were just making accounts to nominate themselves.
So whereas a system like this could have potential to work for honest members of the community, there are just too many people out there who would take advantage of it. And that just isn't fair for anyone.
