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Changes to Members and the Rep System.


TechAngel85

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This OP has been edited to reflect the current implementation. Originally, it read something like "all post editing has been disabled for Members" ... which is why there is some negative banter in the posts below before updating this OP. -z929669

 

After some consideration we have made two changes to the forums which affects most members.
 
Post Editing
This effects only standard forum members. Members belonging to all other forum groups (Mod Authors, Pack Authors, Contributors, Mod Testers, etc.) can still edit their posts indefinitely, since these group members have need to contribute at a higher level than standard members (i.e., modify topic OP, post/edit screenshots, update links/attachments, etc.).

 

We have updated the post-edit feature as it applies to standard forum Members, which is the majority of the users. Standard forum Members are only able to edit their posts for up to 15 minutes after posting. Subsequent to 15 minutes from time of post, most members will no longer be able to edit their posts.
 
Reasons for this change:

  • Maintaining thread continuity - On multiple occasions, multiple members have removed post content relevant to the entire post topic, often removing the entire post's content. This breaks topic continuity, particularly when the original post is commented later in the topic.
  • Encourage more thoughtful posting - Hopefully, posters will be more thoughtful and careful about their posts if the ability to edit is limited. Please use the "Preview Post" editor feature before posting.

Members in good standing that want the ability to edit their posts indefinitely can PM any of the site staff to request elevation. We will also make exceptions at our discretion on a case-by-case basis. 

 

Reputation System
The second change is to the Reputation System used on the forums. For those that don't know what this is, it's the green and red up and down arrows you've seen on the posts. We have moved to a postitive-only reputation system. Yes, negative rep points are now gone. If you have a negative reputation, please contact a STEP Staff or Admin so that we may reset your points. All forum members are limited to 30 positive reputation points per 24-hour period to discourage rep 'spamming'.
 
Reasons for this change:

  • Reputation 'spamming' - Particularly with regard to negative rep, on multiple occasions, multiple members have read through a thread and given a rep point to ALL posts made by a particular member in that thread. We think this is abusive.
  • Maintenance reduction - Eliminating the negative points will help reduce necessary moderation and frees up the staff for more important tasks.
  • Reduces animosity - STEP attempts to promote harmonious relationships amongst our members. We have noticed when members receive negative reputation points, their reaction is almost always unpleasant. If you disagree with someone, you will have to post your disagreement rather than pressing a button (forum posting rules still apply). 



So there you have it. Feel free to discuss the changes below. We always welcome feedback from the community!

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The reputation system change is very welcome for my part. In all honesty I would not have been bothered at all if it simply disappeared, and I say that as someone who has a fairly decent score (I think - haven't really ben comparing enough to know for sure) something I only feel the need to bring up because a lot of the arguments in the previous thread were that people who have good scores would automatically like it. Nevertheless this seems far superior to the downvote/upvote system which only served to make the mood much more astringent in any thread where it made its presence felt.

 

Can't really say much about the edit system as I can still edit my posts (and actively tried to use the "EDIT:" note when doing so previously). I am glad that it is still retainable to some degree though, as maintaining feedback threads like I have gotten into the habit of doing for some of my mods would have been almost impossible without that magical button.  :turned:

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Not being able to Edit posts is in my option a bad decision and a real handicap for me personally. I suffer from dyslexia so I don't always notice my bad spelling until I have posted. Now with this new system, I can foresee I will end up spamming the forums with corrections. So there will end up being 3 or four posts before I get My point across.

So not be able to edit post is going to become a real burden on me and is going to annoy me, Since I am very active and currently the main author of SRLE Extended, being part of  "elevated" member group would lift the burden and my sanity.

I know I am very bad in not always adding an EDIT tag (Usually I forget) to my posts but I do try lol. Now if it was added automatically or there was a button that adds it that would help.

As for the reputation system, I can't speak too much about it because I  I don't really use it and have never carried about it.

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Ahh well.. Time to double and triple check posts before submitting them to the void then ome

 

I never really understood the point of a point system though... If you have a higher score, are you a better member? Should I listen to that person more than someone with a lower? Do you get a tax deduction? Is it just a personal pat on the shoulder to enforce people to behave themselves on a medium as toxic as the Internet?

 

Regarding member groups... Anywhere I can read what the different groups stand for and/or how to reach this elevated status?

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Ahh well.. Time to double and triple check posts before submitting them to the void then ome

 

I never really understood the point of a point system though... If you have a higher score, are you a better member? Should I listen to that person more than someone with a lower? Do you get a tax deduction? Is it just a personal pat on the shoulder to enforce people to behave themselves on a medium as toxic as the Internet?

 

Regarding member groups... Anywhere I can read what the different groups stand for and/or how to reach this elevated status?

No, there isn't any documentation on the different groups. STEP Staff and Admin are the only two groups that can elevate members.

 

We'll see how it goes. If it becomes too much a burden on users we may add in a way to obtain it after a specified amount of posts. (If that is possible.) However, users should become accustomed to using the preview feature and re-reading their posts before posting. Exceptions will be made, but on a case by case basis.

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Rep: Good change. I'm not a fan of "overall reputation", I always used the upvote button in regard to the content of posts only (pretty much like a +1 on reddit) to help identify valuable content. Downvoting don't make much sense in such context, irrelevant posts are just to be ignored.

 

Edit removal: Bad change imo. Editing posts to include screenshots, links to relevant discussions, updating a summary, adding a changelog for dev-like thread... yes, all of those thread would justify its poster to be included in the "elevated" group, but this add an "entry barrier" I'm not a fan of.

Not to mention double post in help thread ("I solved my issue"), typos (whether it's dyslexia, tiredness, non-native English poster, ... there is a lot of people for who a simple preview + double-check isn't enough), or formatting review (I often edit my posts to add details here and there, add blank lines, bold a few important parts, ...).

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Kesta, you should be elevated, if not already. You're a long time standing member who has been involved in a lot of projects here and there. You should really be bumped into the Mod Author group.

I actually am above elevated already, even though it doesn't appear in my status. I'm 99% sure this happened when I've been added to the RS 2.0 team. And don't give me a special status yet, that's my carrot to complete the xEdit guide :P 

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Editing posts actually was important to me. I always liked to edit posts when mistyping or when i posted a link and actualy it was wrong etc... Now double posting will rise on the forums a lot just to correct mistakes. I don't really see how some of the people that removed their posts can make you remove such an important feature... it's like removing a persons rights to correct his own mistakes.  It's not like you could edit someone elses posts...  ::):

How can you even reach to this "elevated" thingy ?

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The change to the reputation system is good in my opinion.

I see why you removed the edit button but for some users, me included, it is important and I have used it a lot. I am not a native English speaker and I often correct typos in posts when I spot them after I posted. I also often post from my phone to answer questions in my pack forums and these posts tend to need editing more often due to auto correct and to delete the "sent from my xxphonexx using Tapatalk" thing that I always seem to forget to uncheck when I post.

So...Elevated member maybe...? :yes:

 

Edit: Well, I seem to be able to edit posts already. Probably cause I am a pack author?

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Yes, Pack Author group can edit their posts.

 

@Kesta, can you edit your posts?

 

@Paul, just be sure you are previewing your posts before posting. Re-reading posts is something that the staff does and is just a good habit that catches 90% of all mistakes. Members are elevated upon request when there is a real need for it. Fixing spelling is not considered an honest need for the feature.

 

We might have a better middle-ground solution for the editing feature. Just waiting for S4N. More to come...

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I like the new system of no down-voting.

 

I am going to reserve judgement on the no editing thing to see how it plays out. I wonder if there is a function that would allow no editing after a certain amount of time passes since the post was written? I think I have seen such a system on other forums. That would satisfy STEP's requirement, while also allowing members to fix typos or mistakes, etc. If this is possible, it would be the best of both worlds.

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I like the new system of no down-voting.

 

I am going to reserve judgement on the no editing thing to see how it plays out. I wonder if there is a function that would allow no editing after a certain amount of time passes since the post was written? I think I have seen such a system on other forums. That would satisfy STEP's requirement, while also allowing members to fix typos or mistakes, etc. If this is possible, it would be the best of both worlds.

That is the "middle-ground" solution. Just waiting on S4N to see if it's possible since I don't have 100% access to all the forum back-end; else I'd simply look myself. :)
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