Improving the Forum Rep system...

[cdemeritt]

Ok, I know for the most part the forum rep system is considered a joke... I don't put too much stock into it...

However, I've seen too many newer players Neg Rep'd into oblivion for asking a "silly" question or voicing an opinion. Some deserve it, coming here to the forums and bashing the game because it is not like the "other" game.... Many do not.

I've also seen many posts of people complaining at how freely neg rep is given out, sometimes just because...

A simple thought came to me, It would be interesting to see how things would change if:

When giving out neg rep, you take a 50% of the value of that neg rep hit yourself....

This might just make people think twice before hitting that neg rep button because someone disagrees with you....

[ddaedelus]

Personally I'm not sure of the goal of the rep system in the first place. Is it to show who is somehow "valued" and who isn't, or who "contributes" and who does not? That seems to me to be what it's *supposed* to do. But because each of us values something different, any rating system is bound to end up appearing nearly arbitrary. I personally can't imagine why some people are so concerned about it. I've never once seen someone say either "That person has a lot of green, so he must be right," or "That person has red rep, so he must be an idiot." I have, however, seen many people make that judgment based on join date.

Your suggestion is a good one as far as controlling the people who neg rep to excess. I just wonder about the point of trying to fix something that is so inherently broken to begin with.

[thwart]

Ok, I know for the most part the forum rep system is considered a joke... I don't put too much stock into it...

However, I've seen too many newer players Neg Rep'd into oblivion for asking a "silly" question or voicing an opinion. Some deserve it, coming here to the forums and bashing the game because it is not like the "other" game.... Many do not.

I've also seen many posts of people complaining at how freely neg rep is given out, sometimes just because...

A simple thought came to me, It would be interesting to see how things would change if:

When giving out neg rep, you take a 50% of the value of that neg rep hit yourself....

This might just make people think twice before hitting that neg rep button because someone disagrees with you....

That makes forum rep like those weapons in game where when you make a successful hit on the monster you also take a little bit of damage. I know I tend to shy away from those types of weapons. Maybe this would have too much of a chilling effect on forum rep and we might be better off not having it all.

[dranreb]

+2 Post of Vicious Rep?

/not signed

//hope i don't get neg repped for not signing

[BigDumbWeirdo]

Feedback/Reputation is nothing but a measure of popularity.

Sure there are those who have nothing nice to say about anyone, and there are those who will give positive feedback to anyone for anything.
But on the whole, people tend to pos rep those posts they like, and neg rep those they don't.


I don't think there's any need to fix the system just because a minority abuse it. However, if you truly wanted to fix it, you could implement one simple change:
1. Make it so that only those whose rep is above a certain level can post feedback, and make sure that value is just slightly below that of your average polite participant.

[Memnir]

My ideas to fix the Rep System:

Idea: Make autologging the name with the Rep mandatory. If some people had their ability to anonymously snipe at others' Rep, they'd stop.
Problem: the Devs don't like the idea, so it'll never happen.

Idea: Place a stickied post in all the high-traffic forums detailing how the Devs want to see the Rep System used, conditions appropriate for Neg Rep to be given, and demystify how to appeal Neg Rep believed to have been given for inappropriate reasons.
Problem: I don't think the Devs want to be bothered to write such a post and clarify things.


However, I don't think self-inflicted Neg Rep would help much at all. That said, I'd be willing to give it a shot in order to quell some of this constant bickering about the Rep thing.

[phillymiket]

I turned my rep off because I'm convinced it makes threads go to an extreme because the rants get chimed in by ranting rep farmers and the lovefests get chimed in by the opposite.

I've never posted a single really useful thing on the forums but yet my rep to post ratio is higher then alot of the people who I truly admire and respect just because of feel goody posts.

Maybe a three category rep. system like - "Helpful/Knowledgeable", "Friendly/Nice", "Cool/Funny" (or something)

So that way someone like me may have a high "friendly" score, the gentleman above me would have a "Helpful/Knowledgeable" score through the roof and the "IBTL" people would have high "Cool/Funny" scores.

Also, when you were neg rep'ed even though you wouldn't know who, you would have an idea why. (Was it the content of my post?, The way I said it?, Do they just not like me? etc)

You could also see if a person has red "Friendly/Nice" but green "Helpful/Knowledgeable" its still worthy advice but if a person has high "Cool/Funny' and low "Helpful/knowledgeable" maybe don't listen.

Edit - To OP /not signed. Taking a hit for neg reping someone would lessen the weight of the person giving the advice (advice in the form of a red square). New folks would never neg rep especially if the "hit" would take them below the point where they could neg rep at all. A troll could create a fake account and "bait" others into neg reping them thereby neg reping the neg repers by proxy.

[Bobthesponge]

Ok, I know for the most part the forum rep system is considered a joke... I don't put too much stock into it...

However, I've seen too many newer players Neg Rep'd into oblivion for asking a "silly" question or voicing an opinion. Some deserve it, coming here to the forums and bashing the game because it is not like the "other" game.... Many do not.

I've also seen many posts of people complaining at how freely neg rep is given out, sometimes just because...

A simple thought came to me, It would be interesting to see how things would change if:

When giving out neg rep, you take a 50% of the value of that neg rep hit yourself....

This might just make people think twice before hitting that neg rep button because someone disagrees with you....

-1 rep

[Lorien_the_First_One]

I've also seen many posts of people complaining at how freely neg rep is given out, sometimes just because...

I think its safe for me to tell you that giving what the mods think is undeserved neg rep, especially if you do it on a regular basis, can result in you hearing from the mods with a warning, infraction points, or loss of all your rep.