Free the XP

[Libramarian]

How long has calling RPG.net "the big purple" been a thing?

I dunno.

 

[Libramarian]

Consider it this way - the fact that you only interact with a few people does not necessarily make the posts by those people better, such that they should get more recognition.

Not more recognition in general, but more recognition by me.

I don't speak for everyone when I give XP, just for me.

That is the difference in perspective here I guess.

I'm just talking about the little comment. So I see it as obvious that XP is subjective. Other people are thinking of the levelling thing, which appears to objectively measure someone's "value" to the forum.

I actually am iffy about that also. But the little comments are very good to have.

 

[Ettin]

How long has calling RPG.net "the big purple" been a thing?

It's been a thing on RPGSite for a while, at least. It seems to be common among people who get banned from RPG.net. It could have started on RPG.net and I'm misremembering though.

 

[Lwaxy]

I like the way XP is handled here. I have been on boards before where the "prestige system" went so out of whack that you could recognize the greatest a-holes by the most prestige.

 

[Umbran]

That's what XP is.

That's what XP should be, pretty much. However, without regulation, we have seen that it often becomes something else. Be happy that you are unfamiliar with such cases. You are better off. You'll have to take our word for it that it does happen.

I am thinking it's good, so more XP flying around would be even better, so I want it to be unregulated.

"A little is good, therefore more would be better," isn't a particularly strong argument. I think you'll find that for a whole lot of things in life, too much of a good thing is no longer a good thing.

Not more recognition in general, but more recognition by me.

I don't speak for everyone when I give XP, just for me.

But, since we report the total number of XP given, you become part of the aggregate, not a lone voice. The limits are there to keep folks from abusing that aggregation for self-aggrandizement.

I'm just talking about the little comment.

Ah. Well, you can give folks comments by replying to their post, by leaving visitor messages on the profile, or by Private Message - all just a click or two away. XP are by no means the only way we have of telling someone you like what they do.

 

[Nagol]

<snip>

Ah. Well, you can give folks comments by replying to their post, by leaving visitor messages on the profile, or by Private Message - all just a click or two away. XP are by no means the only way we have of telling someone you like what they do.

Well, another alternative would be to remove the accumulation of points and keep the comments subsystem then, no? In that scenario, there is no reason to limit the number of comments made as they aren't tied to anything that is aggrandizing.

But I'm biased; I don't like most forms of intra-group award systems.

 

[jonesy]

Well, another alternative would be to remove the accumulation of points and keep the comments subsystem then, no?

I don't know if that's possible, but if it is and the exp system had to be removed for some reason, I'd like the comment system to stay. It's actually useful.

 

[Nagol]

I don't know if that's possible, but if it is and the exp system had to be removed for some reason, I'd like the comment system to stay. It's actually useful.

It should be a trivial configuration change -- simply have everyone assign 0 points.

I expect the comments are the performance hog though. Point assignment and tracking will take almost zero resources. Looking up comments in a separate table and mixing in the display is where the resources get tied up.

 

[Umbran]

Well, another alternative would be to remove the accumulation of points and keep the comments subsystem then, no?

Yes, but I just gave you three other ways you can give verbal feedback. Without the aggregation, the comments system alone is fairly redundant.

I understand that many folks don't like such systems. I was skeptical of the system myself, when it rolled out. I've come to think of it as largely harmless, in its current incarnation.

 

[Nagol]

Yes, but I just gave you three other ways you can give verbal feedback. Without the aggregation, the comments system alone is fairly redundant.

I understand that many folks don't like such systems. I was skeptical of the system myself, when it rolled out. I've come to think of it as largely harmless, in its current incarnation.

Well, written feedback anyway .

I don't have an issue being blocked from giving xp; most of my assignments are to mark spammers as reported.

I'm just offering a lateral choice that offers a solution to both the original objection and the observed flaws in that request. Does the solution have side effects and consequences? Of course! Can I live with them? Yep! Should the site owner adopt my suggestion? Probably not as the consequences do stretch the system pretty far from its original intent, but it never hurts to promote a preferred arrangement.