P&PG Experience Calculation Change

[Farcaster]

The purpose "experience bar," on P&PG is to encourage and reflect participation in the community. Unfortunately, the points system as it stands seems to be encouraging the creation of nonsense threads for the sole purpose of having people reply to it for points. That is definitely not the goal.

So, the point structure is undergoing some changes:

- Points for replies to threads has been removed.
- Points for referrals has been increased from 50 points to 100.

Because of the way that experience is calculated, this change is retroactive, so you will probably notice a shift in the number of points that you currently have. I am considering adding a new feature to the forums that will allow members to "thumbs up" a thread as useful. This will likely replace the points for replies and views in the near future.

[tesral]

What is a referral?

[GoddessGood]

Bringing new people to the site. *shrug* I can't say I disagree with you, FC. The forums have been getting cluttered a bit of late and some quality discussions are getting ignored because they're back on the fourth or fifth page of the General Chatter forum. How were points for replies calculated before?

[yukonhorror]

how do you explicitly refer people to site. I implicitly refer many people from WOTC forums to the site (because I love it here and they probably would too), but I don't know how to send them a real invite.

How do I get points for referrals? Do they just say, yukon referred me and I get points?

I see I have points for referrals, but have no clue how they got there.

[DM_Running_Farland_3.5]

Farcaster,
I agree...some people post nonsense. But the majority of people I come across are posting legit.

There has to be a happy medium with the response thing. Most of my players' (and a lot my own) posts are the result of in game threads and therefore replies by nature. But they are also by nature substantive.

Is there a way you could create some moderator tools that allows a way to mark a thread or reply as substantive or insubstantive? That way a DM running a game could give credit to his players. A player posting a thread to get help finding a specific sourcebook can give credit to all the members that helped her with her plot ideas.

Something like that?

[GoddessGood]

I think the FAQ has a way to link people to the site that marks them as having been sent by you. If they join when they follow the link you should get credit for it.

Also, the points for replies that I think Farcaster did away with are the points the OP (original poster) gets for having people reply to their thread. For instance, MortonStromgal started the Level Up Thread and it's now at 70+ pages. He got points for every time someone posted in that thread, substantive or otherwise. Under the new system, he will still get points for posts he makes and for starting the thread in the first place, but it no longer matters how active the thread is. At least, I think that's what it means.

[yukonhorror]

I think you are right (regarding replies to threads) goddess. Morton dropped about 4 levels after the change.

[DM_Running_Farland_3.5]

He got points for every time someone posted in that thread, substantive or otherwise. Under the new system, he will still get points for posts he makes and for starting the thread in the first place, but it no longer matters how active the thread is. At least, I think that's what it means.

Oh.
So. Do people get points for responding to threads or not?

*scritchin the head*

[yukonhorror]

you still get points for posts. But YOU (as a thread creator) do not get points for replies to your thread (not anymore). Or else most of us would be like level 1.

[GoddessGood]

I think you are right (regarding replies to threads) goddess. Morton dropped about 4 levels after the change.

As did I. No great tragedy, though. Heh, even Farcaster dropped a level

you still get points for posts. But YOU (as a thread creator) do not get points for replies to your thread (not anymore). Or else most of us would be like level 1.

Correct.

[DM_Running_Farland_3.5]

Less head scritchin now...mostly due to the fresh protien modules I keep in my hair farms.

[Farcaster]

Heh, even Farcaster dropped a level

Correct.

Aye! Actually, I lost something like 14,000 points. Ah well. The challenge will be getting them back.

[Kaewin]

how many do you get for a blog? Can people razz you for it? say if they don't like my topic.

[mrken]

Points? We don't need no stinkin' points.

Actually I really don't care about them. I enjoy the posts that help me get to know my forum brothers and sisters. But I see your point. They don't really have much to do with P&PG's.

As for not getting points for making a popular thread. Well, I think that is just as relevant as anything. Give credit to someone who comes up with something many people want to know about, or express a point or perspective, OR, want to know more about.

But really, who needs points anyway? They really are irrelevant. We get to know who has something to say or who has some gaming wisdom. We even know who the crotchety and funny people are. We figure that all out without points telling us someone is new or been around since the beginning. In fact, some of the new people have more wisdom to share than some of us ol' timers. (Oh, did I actually say that?)

[DM_Running_Farland_3.5]

I like points just because it gives people levels and makes it more like an RPG...so, it cool, yo.