Umiushi
02-08-2011, 02:04 AM
If you make regular use of these forums, you are probably aware of the ability of every member to cast a single one-to-five "star" vote for each discussion thread. Presumably these ratings would allow us to see an average opinion for the quality of each thread.
I have long had my doubts about the utility of such a system, but I kept my peace until now because I thought that the presence or absence of such ratings didn't really matter.
Currently, a member is regularly assigning one-star ratings to 4th edition D&D games in the Campaign Invitations thread. At last check, they have done this to every 4e game posted since about four weeks ago and they have been active over multiple days.
I am well aware that there are no specific rules governing the use of the rating system. However, one of the forum rules is "Respect fellow members." Trying to maliciously create an environment that makes it hard for game masters to attract players because of the system they have chosen strikes me as a violation of the spirit of that rule.
I am not aware of this happening before, but in any case, this seems to indicate the potential for the rating system to be put to a use that I don't think it was intended for, and one that I would count as an abuse of the tool.
I have some specific proposals regarding this:
Remove the rating system entirely. Let the activity of a thread serve as an indication of its popularity.
Remove the rating system specifically for Campaign Invitations. Let game invitations stand on their own merits and be free from anonymous criticism.
Clarify use of the rating system. Either there are guidelines for how it is to be used, and those guidelines are enforced; or explicitly retain the status quo that anyone may anonymously and freely assign ratings for any reason.
The third proposal is included as a request in case neither of the first two proposals gain any traction, but I am not particularly fond of it. In the first case, an added burden is placed on the administrator or moderators to enforce new guidelines. In the second case, while explicitly keeping the status quo would at least serve to clarify the rating policy, it is clear to me that someone who methodically assigns ratings like this is trying to create a toxic environment that has nothing to do with the actual quality of a given forum thread or their familiarity with the thread in question. If this behavior is legitimized, I would expect that the ratings system will see more use in the future, but only as a kind of virtual graffiti.
I have long had my doubts about the utility of such a system, but I kept my peace until now because I thought that the presence or absence of such ratings didn't really matter.
Currently, a member is regularly assigning one-star ratings to 4th edition D&D games in the Campaign Invitations thread. At last check, they have done this to every 4e game posted since about four weeks ago and they have been active over multiple days.
I am well aware that there are no specific rules governing the use of the rating system. However, one of the forum rules is "Respect fellow members." Trying to maliciously create an environment that makes it hard for game masters to attract players because of the system they have chosen strikes me as a violation of the spirit of that rule.
I am not aware of this happening before, but in any case, this seems to indicate the potential for the rating system to be put to a use that I don't think it was intended for, and one that I would count as an abuse of the tool.
I have some specific proposals regarding this:
Remove the rating system entirely. Let the activity of a thread serve as an indication of its popularity.
Remove the rating system specifically for Campaign Invitations. Let game invitations stand on their own merits and be free from anonymous criticism.
Clarify use of the rating system. Either there are guidelines for how it is to be used, and those guidelines are enforced; or explicitly retain the status quo that anyone may anonymously and freely assign ratings for any reason.
The third proposal is included as a request in case neither of the first two proposals gain any traction, but I am not particularly fond of it. In the first case, an added burden is placed on the administrator or moderators to enforce new guidelines. In the second case, while explicitly keeping the status quo would at least serve to clarify the rating policy, it is clear to me that someone who methodically assigns ratings like this is trying to create a toxic environment that has nothing to do with the actual quality of a given forum thread or their familiarity with the thread in question. If this behavior is legitimized, I would expect that the ratings system will see more use in the future, but only as a kind of virtual graffiti.