Remove User Post Counts from the Off Topic Subforum

[yamamushi]

I'm sure I'm going to get some flack for suggesting this, and the idea didn't completely come from me, but I think that the spammy threads taking over the Off Topic subforum only existing to boost post counts are somewhat inappropriate. Both an inappropriate use of the subforum and a somewhat exploitive way of artificially boosting post counts to try and add legitimacy to user profiles who otherwise aren't contributing in a constructive way elsewhere on the forums. 

 

However rather than amending the forum rules to simply ban those kinds of threads, I believe that posts in the Off Topic subforum should no longer count towards your overall post count. 

 

As someone pointed out on Discord, on other forums sections such as "Forum Games" and "Off Topic" don't count towards users total post counts. 

 

This would alleviate the issue of taking advantage of the Off Topic forum to artificially boost post counts.

[Comrademoco]

Honestly, to me this is not an issue... I've been in hundreds of forums and most of them have the same thing going on...

 

I don't really look at people's post count... There's no point in it!

[Kurock]

Number of posts, even on topic ones, does not necessarily equate to meaningful posts.

 

Not a high priority but a good idea nonetheless.

[Lord_Void]

I'm sure I'm going to get some flack for suggesting this, and the idea didn't completely come from me, but I think that the spammy threads taking over the Off Topic subforum only existing to boost post counts are somewhat inappropriate. Both an inappropriate use of the subforum and a somewhat exploitive way of artificially boosting post counts to try and add legitimacy to user profiles who otherwise aren't contributing in a constructive way elsewhere on the forums. 

 

However rather than amending the forum rules to simply ban those kinds of threads, I believe that posts in the Off Topic subforum should no longer count towards your overall post count. 

 

As someone pointed out on Discord, on other forums sections such as "Forum Games" and "Off Topic" don't count towards users total post counts. 

 

This would alleviate the issue of taking advantage of the Off Topic forum to artificially boost post counts.

 

I definitely see what you mean, but I honestly don't think it's a problem. Personally, I don't really care whether or not this is implemented, but for the sake of discussion I am going to outline my thoughts on why this is a non-issue. Your solution is well thought out though.

 

As mentioned above, post count doesn't really matter in any significant way. You could argue that having a high post count gives someone an aura of respect and, therefore, the coveted "top 50" should be protected, but in reality the content matter more than the quality so there is no point in trying to protect the counts. Secondly, the spam posts, as the they currently exist, aren't very efficient at boosting post count. Even on days when I'm around all day and really on the last post wins thread, I only get maybe 5 posts because you have to wait for someone else to respond. I suppose you could just keep replying to yourself but I haven't seen that happen yet. It's much more efficient to just respond to the various threads. If I just casually respond to the threads as they appear or as other people respond, I easily get 20 posts in a day. A prime example would be @Lights, who got around 100 posts in his first day or so just by responding to other threads. And his posts were actually pretty good quality.

 

I see what you mean, but my personal feeling is that this is a non-issue. 

[maximpact]

nothing wrong with community?

[Lights]

I definitely see what you mean, but I honestly don't think it's a problem. Personally, I don't really care whether or not this is implemented, but for the sake of discussion I am going to outline my thoughts on why this is a non-issue. Your solution is well thought out though.

 

As mentioned above, post count doesn't really matter in any significant way. You could argue that having a high post count gives someone an aura of respect and, therefore, the coveted "top 50" should be protected, but in reality the content matter more than the quality so there is no point in trying to protect the counts. Secondly, the spam posts, as the they currently exist, aren't very efficient at boosting post count. Even on days when I'm around all day and really on the last post wins thread, I only get maybe 5 posts because you have to wait for someone else to respond. I suppose you could just keep replying to yourself but I haven't seen that happen yet. It's much more efficient to just respond to the various threads. If I just casually respond to the threads as they appear or as other people respond, I easily get 20 posts in a day. A prime example would be @Lights, who got around 100 posts in his first day or so just by responding to other threads. And his posts were actually pretty good quality.

 

I see what you mean, but my personal feeling is that this is a non-issue.

 

Lol i got so much shit for that because people thouggt i was trying to boost my post count it pissed me off XD

yes, why let me get super quick post counts by writing time consuming replies either consuming it by a long reply or a well thought reply. I was just having alot of coffee and free time that weekend XD

 

 

On the topic though, we shoukd just keep our likes meter and not our post meter in my opinion

[GencyMex]

I agree with Yammamushi. The post counts should not be able to be inflated by posting meaningless-just-to-post posts in off topic, and banning people for making posts like that isnt a good answer to that problem. Off topic is totally fine to have, but having posts just to post for adding to your post count is just silly. I saw this happen in the gearbox software community a few years ago, well a decade ago, and the community started to go when people started posting for count number in off topic, and then trying to tote that in actual game related forums. That being said, off topic is a wonderful place that makes a community get to know each other for more than just the game that is bringing them together in the first place, making them a better community.  If off topic posts could not be counted towards post count, that would be great. I would hate to see this community fall apart, either now or 10 years in the future when it is millions of people. Just my two cents.

[Anaximander]

Yes, remove post counts. They do not contribute on anything and they should not be considered a "forum activity" meter. 

Instead, add a Likes meter, which is more accurate than post count, if there MUST be a "forum activity" meter. To me it's all the same, I'll get hate over it regardless :|

[ATMLVE]

Yes, remove post counts. They do not contribute on anything and they should not be considered a "forum activity" meter. 

Instead, add a Likes meter, which is more accurate than post count, if there MUST be a "forum activity" meter. To me it's all the same, I'll get hate over it regardless :|

I think that's a decent idea. I suggested a while ago that likes should be shown under our avatars as well. Someone said basically the risk of it doing harm outweighed the good, as it might cause something along the lines of "like corruption". Still, what with the off topic section and some people making worthless one sentence posts 90% of the time, I think something needs to change.

[Anaximander]

I think that's a decent idea. I suggested a while ago that likes should be shown under our avatars as well. Someone said basically the risk of it doing harm outweighed the good, as it might cause something along the lines of "like corruption". Still, what with the off topic section and some people making worthless one sentence posts 90% of the time, I think something needs to change.

I would go as far as say it would be a "please PK me" meter, but sure.

 

Thing is, Likes do not showcase some kind of gameplay you mastered. Having the title Engineer, because you mastered the Engineerign tree and having 5512 Likes showing below your avatar, are not the same thing. Likes are a forum thing and they do not even mean a person is likeable - I would know if that was the case.

 

For example. the reason I am against titles like the Novawrimo one, the "Famous Author", is because it will only make said person have a "please make my life difficult" tag over their head. It's not something a player earned in-game, via in-game achievements, i.e. aking a sculpture, thus getting the title Sculptor.

 

Except if the winner of the Novawrimo contest is Lethys. Then I guess he does want the title, more content PvP-wise for him.

[Novark]

I think there is nothing wrong with Off Topic ...

Take advantage on post count? I think you will get zero advantage from it.

 

That ban idea kinda ... I mean, don't too serious.

Relax, nothing to worry about.

[Lethys]

I would go as far as say it would be a "please PK me" meter, but sure.

 

Thing is, Likes do not showcase some kind of gameplay you mastered. Having the title Engineer, because you mastered the Engineerign tree and having 5512 Likes showing below your avatar, are not the same thing. Likes are a forum thing and they do not even mean a person is likeable - I would know if that was the case.

 

For example. the reason I am against titles like the Novawrimo one, the "Famous Author", is because it will only make said person have a "please make my life difficult" tag over their head. It's not something a player earned in-game, via in-game achievements, i.e. aking a sculpture, thus getting the title Sculptor.

 

Except if the winner of the Novawrimo contest is Lethys. Then I guess he does want the title, more content PvP-wise for him.

True that, I want that huge Please-kill-me-I'm-a-VIP sign above my head!

 

As for the offtopic thing: honestly, idc. I don't watch post counts, but I can understand the implications. New members may be deceived by some off-topic spammer and they think he's a legit, all knowing alpha member because of his 5038 posts.

[Bernarr]

^If he gets his sign, I demand a "Please-kill-me-I'm-a-Filthy-Pirate" sign.

[Cybrex]

Lowly peasants and their post counts. You don't even deserve to be on this forum.

[DarkHorizon]

I'm split on the issue. Personally, I just ignore the post count and turn the other cheek, but then again as you've stated, the number can have its implications. On the opposite side of things, however, do we even need a post count visible on our profiles? As someone here stated earlier, quality, not quantity.

 

If people are posting rubbish just to artificially inflate a meaningless number, as others have said, that can bring the entire forum community down. Aside from removing the post count entirely, I think it could be more beneficial to make post counts a private thing where only the member can see their own post count in their own posts and on their profile.

 

If we're going to give a person a value, we should look at what they post on an individual basis. If people want to be known, valued, and respected here, then post good stuff and good stuff should follow.

 

TLDR: I like to fall back on this...

 

 

 

I hope things wouldn't go as far as insults, but you get the idea.  

 

[Dhara]

All the post count means to me is that one person has more spare time than another to waste posting on forums.  So maybe if you're trying to tell me that you're some high-power business man running three businesses, I might suspect you're lying if you have hundreds of posts on a game forum, but that's about it. 

 

I actually don't even understand why anyone would be worried about it.  Do people really take that as some sort of status symbol or something?  And if so, what harm can come from that?  That someone might believe something they say about the game?   Couldn't any comments made by anyone about the game be easily proven or disproved by other folks who can post right after them with source links and the like?  Is misinformation being spread by "posers" with high post counts rampant on these forums?

 

Sorry, just not getting why this is something I should be concerned about.

[Bernarr]

I could care less about post counts either. I'm more of a lurker, but I work from home, so if I gave a shit about post counts, I could outdo a lot of people. I'd rather spend my time playing games or watching some GoT/Dr Who/whatever than reading through forums and posting. It's more of a boredom thing for me.

[yamamushi]

For those saying post counts are meaningless, for one there is a specific button the Member List for sorting users by post count...

 

 

https://board.dualthegame.com/index.php?/members/

[Bernarr]

You can add a button to sort by location too, but what would that matter?

[Comrademoco]

And there's also one for join date and member name... If the threads on the off topic bother ye that much... Just hide them... I believe there's an option for that

[Comrademoco]

Edit cause double post... But you get the point... Don't waste you're time in issues that are not issues

[Atmosph3rik]

The issue here isn't whether peoples Post Count matters.  It Doesn't.  Obviously.

 

The issue is the damage being done by people who think their post count matters.  Or people who just like to hear themselves talk.  Or whatever drives them, i don't even know.  What i do know is any useful discussion is almost instantly buried by none constructive arguments and spam.

 

It's a bummer.

[Dhara]

The issue here isn't whether peoples Post Count matters.  It Doesn't.  Obviously.

 

The issue is the damage being done by people who think their post count matters.  Or people who just like to hear themselves talk.  Or whatever drives them, i don't even know.  What i do know is any useful discussion is almost instantly buried by none constructive arguments and spam.

 

It's a bummer.

 

Isn't that how just about every forum is though?   And will removing the post count actually stop that from happening? I would think that this issue would fall under moderation.  You can't automate some things.

[yamamushi]

Dhara_Elysande, on 28 Dec 2016 - 2:39 PM, said:

 

Isn't that how just about every forum is though?   And will removing the post count actually stop that from happening? I would think that this issue would fall under moderation.  You can't automate some things.

 

It's not about removing post counts altogether to me, it's about changing the Off Topic forum so that posts there don't add to your post count total. 

 

And if we're talking about "just about every forum", most game forums work in a similar fashion. They have off-topic boards and forum game boards that don't add to your post count total. 

[Comrademoco]

But by doing so you would also take it away from the legit threads that are there to have an actual off topic purpose and not just to boost one's ego and postcount