Guild Wars 2

Question: Would there be any advantage for the Devs to be able to place some type of tag/flag on forum contributors who they deem are continuously coming up with new and interesting ways to better the game?

For example: I have a select group of Forum posters who I will always read their posts due to the fact that over time they have shown the ability to provide well thought out, innovative, positive ideas worthy of reading.
(I also have another list of whiners, crybabies and complainers who I will Never read no matter what they write but that would be a topic for another day.)

Proposal: So what I am thinking is that due to the thousands of people who are posting on the forums, the Devs might want to have some sort of visual highlight which would stick out so that as they read thru the tons of posts in a particular thread and they hit a flagged contributor, they could make sure they don’t overlook that particular post.

Restriction: Only ANet employees would be able to see the highlighted posters so that no forum viewers (including the ‘Flagged’ poster themselves) would know they had been singled out.

The Reason: If people knew that they might be put on ANets Hot List it might weed out some of the negative white noise which continuously plagues these pages.

I see a few negatives to this proposal but I am sure others will be pointing them out post haste, so I won’t bother to add them here.

Everyone knows that some “contributors” have very well written arguments and suggestions that could easily improve the game. Those “contributors” often see the game past their own personal desires and greed, intending to create a better experience to us all. However, is there any advantage doing it? Maybe so, but it would clearly make those not so frequent who can have a equally good or better arguments less important than the said “contributors”.

The best way of getting the voice heard, is providing solid arguments with good evidence and data to backup the argument and allowing the growth of constructive feedback. Although we may not see a reply from the team as often as we like to see them, i bet they see it and decide if it’s worth exploring.

As for the negativity it will always exist in here. As there are no perfect solutions, many will agree and many will not. With the increase of the the games populations, so does the amount of players pending to both sides. Unfortunately, the ones that don’t agree are generally the first ones to jump into the boards, and go berserk.

/cheers

Betcha I’m on the whines list….

chuckle

I really like this idea. Although I’d actually say it would have more benefit if it was public because then people would be more aware of it and maybe more inclined to put the effort in.

Also if it was simply announced that the devs had a list of people they thought provided good feedback then a lot of people would most likely interpret that to mean fanboys (and girls) who praise everything Anet do no matter whether it’s actually good or not.

Whereas hopefully they’d actually be looking for people who provide constructive criticism – suggestions on how to make the game better. (If you try to insist everything is already perfect you can’t then suggest ways to make it better.)

On some forums it’s possible to add a title under a users name. They’re normally automatic and based on post count, but sometimes they can be customised. Maybe they could do something like that, either one title or a whole series of them based on the amount of good feedback left.

So…like an MVP system a la WoW forums? It was a good idea in theory, then you realize the power goes to their heads and they feel above other posters. Every single MVP on those forums now is looked down upon.

I don’t feel like singling people out and giving them a power trip is going to fix the negative white noise, but it’s an idea nonetheless.

Basically, I feel like all the “contributors” would be is another lightning rod for people to vent their anger against, and valuable posters don’t deserve to be belittled because of a title or position.

Aeonblade:

Restriction: Only ANet employees would be able to see the highlighted posters so that no forum viewers (including the ‘Flagged’ poster themselves) would know they had been singled out.

Therefore, no public MVPs, thus no power trip, right?

Yalora Istairiea.6287:

Aeonblade:

Restriction: Only ANet employees would be able to see the highlighted posters so that no forum viewers (including the ‘Flagged’ poster themselves) would know they had been singled out.

Therefore, no public MVPs, thus no power trip, right?

Gotcha. Great idea. +1. As long as they manage to stay hidden, this has the chance to make at least a small difference. Guess I need to work on my reading comprehension some, because I read that totally wrong the first time lol.

Yalora Istairiea.6287:

Aeonblade:

Restriction: Only ANet employees would be able to see the highlighted posters so that no forum viewers (including the ‘Flagged’ poster themselves) would know they had been singled out.

Therefore, no public MVPs, thus no power trip, right?

I think that might have been in response to my suggestion that it should be public – like a title displayed under their name.

I’ve never seen the WoW forums so I don’t know what that’s like. I know some forums with volunteer community moderators where people accuse them of all being on a power-trip (and others where they actually are) but I didn’t think you’d get the same reaction if they don’t have any actual authority over other posters.

Danikat.8537:

Yalora Istairiea.6287:

Aeonblade:

Restriction: Only ANet employees would be able to see the highlighted posters so that no forum viewers (including the ‘Flagged’ poster themselves) would know they had been singled out.

Therefore, no public MVPs, thus no power trip, right?

I think that might have been in response to my suggestion that it should be public – like a title displayed under their name.

I’ve never seen the WoW forums so I don’t know what that’s like. I know some forums with volunteer community moderators where people accuse them of all being on a power-trip (and others where they actually are) but I didn’t think you’d get the same reaction if they don’t have any actual authority over other posters.

Yea I was mainly referring to the title thing. I think it’s a great idea if they stay hidden, but giving them a title just gives ragers someone new to yell at

In theory this could already be implemented. The way you have written it we would never know. Also I am sure the staff who are regularly reading through would have a good personal idea of who they would like to see more of. If they standardized it so there was less room for personal bias it might be worthwhile.

Yalora Istairiea.6287:

Question: Would there be any advantage for the Devs to be able to place some type of tag/flag on forum contributors who they deem are continuously coming up with new and interesting ways to better the game?

For example: I have a select group of Forum posters who I will always read their posts due to the fact that over time they have shown the ability to provide well thought out, innovative, positive ideas worthy of reading.
(I also have another list of whiners, crybabies and complainers who I will Never read no matter what they write but that would be a topic for another day.)

Proposal: So what I am thinking is that due to the thousands of people who are posting on the forums, the Devs might want to have some sort of visual highlight which would stick out so that as they read thru the tons of posts in a particular thread and they hit a flagged contributor, they could make sure they don’t overlook that particular post.

Restriction: Only ANet employees would be able to see the highlighted posters so that no forum viewers (including the ‘Flagged’ poster themselves) would know they had been singled out.

The Reason: If people knew that they might be put on ANets Hot List it might weed out some of the negative white noise which continuously plagues these pages.

I see a few negatives to this proposal but I am sure others will be pointing them out post haste, so I won’t bother to add them here.

Yeah, I think personal bias may be an issue. It would be like “this person said something I don’t like, let’s make it so nothing they every say is considered” I think that could be detrimental. Anet devs are human too, ya know.

Yargesh.4965:

If they standardized it so there was less room for personal bias it might be worthwhile.

Yeah I saw the bias thing as both a plus and a minus. I agree, with 340 ANet employees, what employee 1 thinks may not be the same thing as what employee 339 thinks useful. Hopefully they are all like minded but individualism will surely rear its ugly head

Maybe this would work around it?
Any ANet employee could flag a poster and it would get somehow highlighted but if you as an Anet employee flags someone, then it would get a slightly different flag denoting someone YOU deem worthy.

Yalora Istairiea.6287:

Yargesh.4965:

If they standardized it so there was less room for personal bias it might be worthwhile.

Yeah I saw the bias thing as both a plus and a minus. I agree, with 340 ANet employees, what employee 1 thinks may not be the same thing as what employee 339 thinks useful. Hopefully they are all like minded but individualism will surely rear its ugly head

Maybe this would work around it?
Any ANet employee could flag a poster and it would get somehow highlighted but if you as an Anet employee flags someone, then it would get a slightly different flag denoting someone YOU deem worthy.

Having the flags be on a per person basis would be a good idea. This would let devs get hands on with good ideas, and then they personally could agree or disagree with them, without impressing on others their own views without a discussion on the topic first.

I don’t know if it would help the devs or not, but personally I would love to have a “follow” list for the forums. There actually are some people that I would like to read each post that they make.

I say if the devs make it for themselves they should give us access too!

Aye.8392:

I don’t know if it would help the devs or not, but personally I would love to have a “follow” list for the forums. There actually are some people that I would like to read each post that they make.

I say if the devs make it for themselves they should give us access too!

Agree with this. I’m a fan girl of a couple posters here. I’d love to have an easier way to see their posts on the topics I’m interested in.

…I am cautiously against it.

I think one of the best things about the CDIs is the basic social pact being offered that Everyone Gets Read. I would be wary of a formalized system (even if it’s invisible to us) that encourages the Dev-Host of a thread to skim over some people. I think that an informal version is inevitable (it’s just part of the way our brains are wired) but I’m a huge believer in second chances. If someone goes off on a rant, I don’t want that to be an instant and permanent trip to ‘the oubliette of black flags’.

Speaking for myself, even though I spend a lot of time both on the thinking-through and the actual word-smithing of my posts, I try to avoid making claims to my specific job history or post history. I’d rather my offerings compete on individual merit than some sort of implicit Appeal to Authority.

There is a way to catalogue posters you like, BTW.

If you up-vote a post, its added to a permanent record of your up-votes you can browse by clicking on your account name at the top of each page. The options look like:

•See all messages by Nike.2631
•Send Nike.2631 a PM
•View posts upvoted by Nike.2631
•View highly rated posts by Nike.2631
•Report Nike.2631

When you are looking at your own profile, the middle one can be used as a library of favored peers.

LittleLepton.8915:

Aye.8392:

I don’t know if it would help the devs or not, but personally I would love to have a “follow” list for the forums. There actually are some people that I would like to read each post that they make.

I say if the devs make it for themselves they should give us access too!

Agree with this. I’m a fan girl of a couple posters here. I’d love to have an easier way to see their posts on the topics I’m interested in.

Click the name and you can see every post they have ever made. Only thing is it does not sort by topic.

LittleLepton: the work around that I use currently is, if I like a post someone makes I click on their name and take a look at their:

View highly rated posts by User Name.xxxx

which shows you this by example
View highly rated posts by Yalora Istairiea.6287

This way I get to see their “Best Of” list. Unfortunately most people don’t turn on the option for this list so I would have to look at Everything that a person posts which is just not logistically possible for me.

I would think that the time constrained Devs would be effected even more so.

I would have to say i’m against this… All this does is give Anet a reason to basically say:

→ Sticks fingers in ears
→ screams lalalalalalalalalla as loud as you can
→ The game is perfect, there are no problems, see these “important” posters say so

Unless you are suggesting that they also flag and read highly critical posters not just the cheerleaders. People take the time to post ranting critical posts for a reason, they see a problem and want it fixed.

ZudetGambeous.9573:

I would have to say i’m against this… All this does is give Anet a reason to basically say:

-> Sticks fingers in ears
-> screams lalalalalalalalalla as loud as you can
-> The game is perfect, there are no problems, see these “important” posters say so

Unless you are suggesting that they also flag and read highly critical posters not just the cheerleaders. People take the time to post ranting critical posts for a reason, they see a problem and want it fixed.

I would assume he/she meant both ends of spectrum, negative and positive feedback, as long as the poster isn’t using personal attacks or insults.

Also, I’m pretty sure sticking their fingers in their ears is what they have been doing up until now anyway, so no loss right?

why do people continually start Suggestion threads in the Discussion forum?

Mimizu.7340:

why do people continually start Suggestion threads in the Discussion forum?

Honestly, because the suggestions thread is devoid of any human life I think. To really get any attention for a good idea, GD is a better place even though it shouldn’t be.

Aeonblade.8709:

ZudetGambeous.9573:

I would have to say i’m against this… All this does is give Anet a reason to basically say:

-> Sticks fingers in ears
-> screams lalalalalalalalalla as loud as you can
-> The game is perfect, there are no problems, see these “important” posters say so

Unless you are suggesting that they also flag and read highly critical posters not just the cheerleaders. People take the time to post ranting critical posts for a reason, they see a problem and want it fixed.

I would assume he/she meant both ends of spectrum, negative and positive feedback, as long as the poster isn’t using personal attacks or insults.

Aeon: Correct, “both ends of the spectrum” and the middle. In my case my favorites list includes those people who hold opposing viewpoints, that is the only way I get alternative views to my own.

Yalora Istairiea.6287:

Question: Would there be any advantage for the Devs to be able to place some type of tag/flag on forum contributors who they deem are continuously coming up with new and interesting ways to better the game?

For example: I have a select group of Forum posters who I will always read their posts due to the fact that over time they have shown the ability to provide well thought out, innovative, positive ideas worthy of reading.
(I also have another list of whiners, crybabies and complainers who I will Never read no matter what they write but that would be a topic for another day.)

Proposal: So what I am thinking is that due to the thousands of people who are posting on the forums, the Devs might want to have some sort of visual highlight which would stick out so that as they read thru the tons of posts in a particular thread and they hit a flagged contributor, they could make sure they don’t overlook that particular post.

Restriction: Only ANet employees would be able to see the highlighted posters so that no forum viewers (including the ‘Flagged’ poster themselves) would know they had been singled out.

The Reason: If people knew that they might be put on ANets Hot List it might weed out some of the negative white noise which continuously plagues these pages.

I see a few negatives to this proposal but I am sure others will be pointing them out post haste, so I won’t bother to add them here.

Expanding on this idea, what if there were different flags for different departments, in order to increase the likelihood of the relevant people seeing the post?

For example, someone from the LS team sees a good post about dungeons. They flag that post with a ‘dungeon flag’, which then get’s highlighted to the head of the dungeon team.

TheDaiBish.9735:

Yalora Istairiea.6287:

/snip

Expanding on this idea, what if there were different flags for different departments, in order to increase the likelihood of the relevant people seeing the post?

For example, someone from the LS team sees a good post about dungeons. They flag that post with a ‘dungeon flag’, which then get’s highlighted to the head of the dungeon team.

Nice idea. I guess it all comes down to how often if at all an ANet employee even visits the forums.

I know certain ones do just by the number of posts they have BUT…
there are 340 Anet employees and I have only seen frequent posting from a select few(lets say 10 or so).

It would be nice to see an ANet person comment on this but since they moved this thread to the “Suggestions” category (where threads go to die) it has only gotten 1 post so I am not holding my breath.