How Does Rep Work?

[Yiren]

Really sorry for my following meta-questions on forum Rep. I tried figuring out and doing a search, but nothing useful came up...

How does Rep work?
What does Rep actually do?
How do I give someone Rep?
How much Rep do I have at the start (assume 0)?
...etc.

If someone can just point me to a page where it is all explained, I'll be very grateful too.

Again, sorry for these silly questions.


Yiren.

[wamjratl1]

Really sorry for my following meta-questions on forum Rep. I tried figuring out and doing a search, but nothing useful came up...

How does Rep work?
What does Rep actually do? Nothing.
How do I give someone Rep? Click the Sclaes icon at the top right of their post and choose "I approve"
How much Rep do I have at the start (assume 0)?
...etc. Go to your user Control Panel.

If someone can just point me to a page where it is all explained, I'll be very grateful too.

Again, sorry for these silly questions.


Yiren.

Red.

[Girlbrush]

Do note that if you're F2P, you can't give rep to others.

[Memnir]

No worries for the silly questions - Rep is kinda a silly thing.

How does Rep work?
Rep is an indicator of how the forum reacts to your posts. If you have a lot of Positive Rep, then the forum-populace finds you informative, funny, or just an okay person to have around. If you Rep is Red, it means the opposite - or you annoyed the wrong person and they gave you Neg Rep out of spite.

What does Rep actually do?
Not a thing. It only means as much as you yourself ascribe to it.

How do I give someone Rep?
In each post, below a person's name, there is an icon that looks like a set of scales. Click on it, and you will have an option to Approve or Disprove their post. You can only give a person one tick of Rep, good or bad, and then you need to give Rep to other people before you can give it to that same person again.

How much Rep do I have at the start (assume 0)?
I think 0, but am not sure.


It's really an arbitrary thing that the Devs put in for no apparent reason...

[rest]

It doesn't.

[Drakos]

Really sorry for my following meta-questions on forum Rep. I tried figuring out and doing a search, but nothing useful came up...

How does Rep work?
What does Rep actually do?
How do I give someone Rep?
How much Rep do I have at the start (assume 0)?
...etc.

If someone can just point me to a page where it is all explained, I'll be very grateful too.

Again, sorry for these silly questions.


Yiren.

In theory or in parctice?

Many people abuse the Rep system here so...

[Josh]

In theory or in parctice?

Many people abuse the Rep system here so...

Like certain individuals that have full rep bars that didn't earn it, for example.

[Gol]

How does Rep work?

For the purposes for which it was added and intended to work...

It just doesn't.

[Cyr]

Rep is kind of a silly mechanic. How it works is that anyone who pays for the game (believe F2P can not rep) can give positive rep based upon a percentage of their own rep. They can do this once a week (I think) for the same poster and can do it a few times in a day. If you have lots of rep (1750 I believe) you can also hand out negative rep, also as a percentage of your total rep. This means that both positive rep and negative rep while anonymous can generally be guessed at who is giving it to you. For example, very few have such massive rep bars to hit you for 50+ negative/positive rep. If one of those few people posts in the thread either supportive or in the contrary to your position it's fairly obvious who gave the rep out.

Rep actually does very little. If someone gets a very high negative rep total I have heard that their posts are approved before they are posted, much like someone who accumulates infractions. Incredibly stubborn or angry poster generally are the only ones to get this much negative reputation.

Some little hints about rep.

*You can turn off your reputation from displaying. Posters with net negative rep often do this, but they are certainly not the only ones. This however does not prevent people from still giving you positive or negative reputation.
*Meaningful and intelligent posting often does not result in a positive reputation. In fact, if the subject matter ruffles anyones feathers it could very result in negative reputation.
*The best ways to gain positive reputation are posting funny pictures and one liners.
*The reputation system is all about promoting group think. Go with the crowd and you get positive reinforcement go against it and you get negative reinforcement.
*You can see how much reputation you have under the user CP tab.

[Josh]

rep Is Kind Of A Silly Mechanic. How It Works Is That Anyone Who Pays For The Game (believe F2p Can Not Rep) Can Give Positive Rep Based Upon A Percentage Of Their Own Rep. They Can Do This Once A Week (i Think) For The Same Poster And Can Do It A Few Times In A Day. If You Have Lots Of Rep (1750 I Believe) You Can Also Hand Out Negative Rep, Also As A Percentage Of Your Total Rep. This Means That Both Positive Rep And Negative Rep While Anonymous Can Generally Be Guessed At Who Is Giving It To You. For Example, Very Few Have Such Massive Rep Bars To Hit You For 50+ Negative/positive Rep. If One Of Those Few People Posts In The Thread Either Supportive Or In The Contrary To Your Position It's Fairly Obvious Who Gave The Rep Out.

Rep Actually Does Very Little. If Someone Gets A Very High Negative Rep Total I Have Heard That Their Posts Are Approved Before They Are Posted, Much Like Someone Who Accumulates Infractions. Incredibly Stubborn Or Angry Poster Generally Are The Only Ones To Get This Much Negative Reputation.

Some Little Hints About Rep.

*you Can Turn Off Your Reputation From Displaying. Posters With Net Negative Rep Often Do This, But They Are Certainly Not The Only Ones. This However Does Not Prevent People From Still Giving You Positive Or Negative Reputation.
*meaningful And Intelligent Posting Often Does Not Result In A Positive Reputation. In Fact, If The Subject Matter Ruffles Anyones Feathers It Could Very Result In Negative Reputation.
*the Best Ways To Gain Positive Reputation Are Posting Funny Pictures And One Liners.
*the Reputation System Is All About Promoting Group Think. Go With The Crowd And You Get Positive Reinforcement Go Against It And You Get Negative Reinforcement.
*you Can See How Much Reputation You Have Under The User Cp Tab.

Qfmft

[Unreliable]

Rep is kind of a silly mechanic. How it works is that anyone who pays for the game (believe F2P can not rep) can give positive rep based upon a percentage of their own rep. They can do this once a week (I think) for the same poster and can do it a few times in a day. If you have lots of rep (1750 I believe) you can also hand out negative rep, also as a percentage of your total rep. This means that both positive rep and negative rep while anonymous can generally be guessed at who is giving it to you. For example, very few have such massive rep bars to hit you for 50+ negative/positive rep. If one of those few people posts in the thread either supportive or in the contrary to your position it's fairly obvious who gave the rep out.

Rep actually does very little. If someone gets a very high negative rep total I have heard that their posts are approved before they are posted, much like someone who accumulates infractions. Incredibly stubborn or angry poster generally are the only ones to get this much negative reputation.

Some little hints about rep.

*You can turn off your reputation from displaying. Posters with net negative rep often do this, but they are certainly not the only ones. This however does not prevent people from still giving you positive or negative reputation.
*Meaningful and intelligent posting often does not result in a positive reputation. In fact, if the subject matter ruffles anyones feathers it could very result in negative reputation.
*The best ways to gain positive reputation are posting funny pictures and one liners.
*The reputation system is all about promoting group think. Go with the crowd and you get positive reinforcement go against it and you get negative reinforcement.
*You can see how much reputation you have under the user CP tab.

would have given you +1 but no funny pics or clever puns, sorry.

[Cyr]

would have given you +1 but no funny pics or clever puns, sorry.

No worries your tiny rep bar would hardly move mine anyways

Edit: I guess that qualifies as a clever pun

[Tarrant]

Hi Yiren,

Aside from what everyone here has said (and thanks, +1 to all of you ), when you reach a certain threshold of negative reputation, your posts become automatically moderated until Tolero or myself approve them. This is to allow the community to exercise a degree of self-moderation, and to let you all catch anyone constantly posting inappropriate things (it has happened before) if we can't get there soon enough.

[Memnir]

when you reach a certain threshold of negative reputation, your posts become automatically moderated until Tolero or myself approve them.

Just for clarification, what is that threshold, exactly? In terms of red-boxes, what is the magic-number for insta-moderation.
I ask only because I've seen some people keep posting at will with a lot of red boxes by their name - at least four.


As a form of Citizen's Arrest, it does not seem to work very well. Or rather, as well as it does in any other fashion...

[Tarrant]

Just for clarification, what is that threshold, exactly? In terms of red-boxes, what is the magic-number for insta-moderation.
I ask only because I've seen some people keep posting at will with a lot of red boxes by their name - at least four.


As a form of Citizen's Arrest, it does not seem to work very well. Or rather, as well as it does in any other fashion...

We don't give out the magic-number, but there was a time in the past when the insta-moderation was a fickle mistress and didn't succumb to our commands. It behaves much better now.

[Cyr]

We don't give out the magic-number, but there was a time in the past when the insta-moderation was a fickle mistress and didn't succumb to our commands. It behaves much better now.

What purpose does keeping this information secret serve?

[flynnjsw]

What purpose does keeping this information secret serve?

Keeps things "Dark and Mysterious"????lol

Oh Big Brother Where art Thou...

[Tarrant]

What purpose does keeping this information secret serve?

Several purposes. One is that it allows us the opportunity to adjust the threshold based on what we feel is appropriate. For example, it was easier to land in insta-moderation when only a few people could give out negative reputation as opposed to currently.

[Memnir]

We don't give out the magic-number, but there was a time in the past when the insta-moderation was a fickle mistress and didn't succumb to our commands. It behaves much better now.

Fair enough - but I hope it was a recent adjustment, because some of the instances I'm talking about were not too long ago.


And while I have your ear, Evil One - the responses in this thread should illustrate that the public perception of the Rep System is pretty bad, and needs some repair. Neg Rep griefing is still an issue, and is perhaps the biggest problem with the way the system currently functions.

If Turbine cannot/will not give us the name of the person who gave us the Neg Rep, can it at least be looked into if each time Neg Rep is given, it has to be looked into by a Mod? Because I'd lay odds that 75% or more of the Neg Rep given is for spiteful or petty reasons - and not ones by which the system intends.

Faith needs to be put back into the system - because right now there is precious little to be had.

[Drakos]

Hi Yiren,

Aside from what everyone here has said (and thanks, +1 to all of you ), when you reach a certain threshold of negative reputation, your posts become automatically moderated until Tolero or myself approve them. This is to allow the community to exercise a degree of self-moderation, and to let you all catch anyone constantly posting inappropriate things (it has happened before) if we can't get there soon enough.

Thank you for your post to try and explain the system but it is not working as you claim.

The biggest problem is their is little to no feedback avaliable as to how you earned the rep. You can't even tell which posts you made that generated said rep without going to every post you have made and checking. Then all you get is Very Positive or Very Negative, so you can't use the system to police yourself.

Also there is no mechanism to refute or grieve the rep. Many use it as a means to try and punish, not police, those who disagree. It does not serve the "self moderation" goal you stated. It serves to let the bullies on the forums try and squelch and opposition to their devine opinions.

Now add to that that after being bullied enough, now you are being punished by the system because you have been beaten down to a set level. It would only work if those giving the rep had reprecusions for abusing the system. As it stands there is NO accounting for your actions.

Unless the goal it to only have a select group of people here that force everyone else into compliance the system does not serve the stated purpose, and should be either better policed or elliminated. It definatly does not support any kind of free thinking or differing opinions, it infacts punishes you for such. Just because an opinion in non-conformist does not make it any less a valid opinion, but the system here supports making it such.

Edit: Oh, my +1 you mentioned must have been lost in the mail because I never got it.