Reputation System

[Knape97]

Reputation System

Default Reputation Level
Each user starts with a default reputation level of +10

Who can give / take reputation
All Usergroups can currently leave both Good and Bad reputation points

Reputation Power
Reputation power is the factor by which you can effect an other users reputation. This factor is used fully when adding positive reputation, and halved when adding negative reputation.

i.e. If you have a reputation power of 4, when you add positive reputation you +4 to that user. When you leave negative reputation you -2 to that user.

Reputation power Calculations
So, how is reputation power calculated i hear you cry!

Well, for starters Admins have a flat 10 reputation power, and they use this full 10 when adding or subtracting rep (Admins are the exception that proves the rule :p)

Other users power is based upon a series of calculations;

+1 power for every 365 days you have been registered
+1 power for every 250 posts you have
+1 power for every 100 reputation points you have.

+10 power for approved article submission.

Fior example, a user who has been with us 2 years (+2), with 800 posts (+3) and 125 reputation points (+1) has a total of +6 Reputation Power

(Yes, this means it is possable for new users to have 0 reputation power)

Reputation Meter
Reputation is displayed in 2 main ways;

You can view your own numerical reputation value by clicking on the "add reputation" icon for your own posts.

Other members reputation is displayed as a series of coloured squares, with the more squares you have denoting a higher ranking.

Red = Bad Rep
Blue = Neutral Rep
Green = Good Rep

Holding your mouse cursor over these squares will display the users reputation title.


Reputation Benefits
There are a number of benefits associated with the reputation system. Not only do you get to have some pretty coloured squares by your name, but certain levels of reputation (when coupled with other factors) will place you into enhanced usergroups with more user options and freedom on the forums.

Limitations
Users can only give ten reputation marks (good or bad) per 24 hours peroid.

Users can not repeatdly give the same user reptuation. The system has a fail safe mehod to ensure that reputation marks are given out evenly accross the board.

Unacceptable Use of Reputation
It is NOT acceptable to leave a user bad reputation simply because they left you bad rep. If you have a real issue with the user then yes leave bad rep, but a reputation war is not acceptable. If you have an issue with the reason reputation was left for you, then please contact a Admin.

It is also not acceptable to "beg" for reputation via PM's to other users. Anyone we find doing this will simply have their reputation rerset to "-5"

[Monsieur Cartier]

That's incredibly confusing, especially with the tiny font.

-What is the difference between reputation and reputation power?
-Other than letting you be an enhanced user, does it let you do anything else?

Hope I'm not being a pain.

[justinb67]

Originally Posted by monsieurcartier

That's incredibly confusing, especially with the tiny font.

-What is the difference between reputation and reputation power?
-Other than letting you be an enhanced user, does it let you do anything else?

Hope I'm not being a pain.

reputation power is directly related to how many reputation points you will be giving someone else if you say they are reputable.

So if your reputation power is 5, then when you rep up someone cuz they are cool, they will get 5 points.

So if an admins reps u up, or someone who has been around for along time or posted alot reps you up, it means more than joe blow who just hit his 250th post.

[DavidVC04]

Okay, my current problem is that people just don't seem to be leaving reputation. Well, at least not for me. I'm still trying to decide how much I care. You know, I regularly leave it for other people because that's how the system works, but it's never reciprocated. I don't flame people. I make an effort to be respectful, make clear posts, use jolly good grammar, but I'm still sittin' at eleven. And I think that's the problem. People just don't have the mindset, "Hey, there's a decent post. I think I'll leave some rep." Deserving members will be stuck, never enjoying whatever these supposed enhanced benefits are, while people who've networked enough can leave one another points. I'd be curious to know how my PM's have gone working a deal: "Slide me some rep...I'll do the same." While I recognize problems with the old system--simple numerical equivalency--this one doesn't seem a vast improvement if the members don't take it to heart and spread the love.

[Adeptus Ridiculous]

Hear, hear! I'm not the most prolific of community contributors (and kudos to those that really make a difference) and maybe I'm a little too frank at times but I see people with 40 posts (that include a fair amount of crap) with much better rep than me. Like David, I care not a jot about my rep. What I do care about is having to put up with a reduced service just because I don't go fishing for it.

I'm on record as not liking the new forum (and I still don't). It's an arse of an interface showered with distracting baubles (and the rep system is one of those). It galls me that rep's being used as the key to a private members club. I'd like to see the whole thing scrapped and the effort put into restoring some of the features of the old forum that we still don't have today.

AR

PS. Chalk me up another -5 rep points for speaking my mind.

[Knape97]

I'd like to see the whole thing scrapped and the effort put into restoring some of the features of the old forum that we still don't have today.

Well, I am not gonna give you -ve rep for speaking your mind.

What features do you think are missing? Please post a thread to this effect in the Help and Support forum (i.e. not here)

As for the reputation lvl? Would you prefer the enhanced users club is based soley off those who the mods wish to join it? No because then beople would cry favoritism. We cant base it soley off post counts as that encourages spam. What alternatives do you therefeore suggest?

[strewart]

Time you have been on the forum. Then it is uncontrollable so you won't get rep (edit: rephrase this bit coz the word i used was apparently sensored... People who care too much about rep and seek it) or spammers, just people posting away and hopefully being helpful.

[Phobos]

Time is no guarantee of a good member, I mean, just look at Nebulas.

For more serious examples I can think of a good few like Lone Wolf, Minty Hippo and others.

[Knape97]

We already have time spent on the forum playing a factor to some degree...

how about we change the levels required of each?

Currently its;
Days = 60
Posts = 500
Reputation = 250

How about?
Days = 90
Posts = 250
Reputation = 100

That way you have to have been a member for 3 months and reasonably active. You also require some reputation, but not huge ammounts. Ideas? Comments?

[DavidVC04]

That sounds good, Knape. I really can't think of a failsafe way of doing it. Suppose you did away with rankings entirely. This is the first forum I've ever been active on, but how much do rankings really matter? Do people care that much? I suppose one fault with that idea is that people paying for subscriptions would be granted whatever privileges making it the sole means of rating, and therefore fiscal favoritism.

What about physical trials? You know, arm wrestling or something?

More realisitically, how about somehow advertising the rep system. Not with a popup but maybe with an annoucement, like "Don't forget to leave reputation where reputation is due." Or something to get users thinking about it, maybe on the Users CP screen, something more prominent. It wouldn't need to shout or push too hard because you don't want people to go rep crazy, but a gentle reminder kinda thing.