Official Feedback Request: Emblems!

[Aquacorde]

See, those posts surprise me because I've always seen the opposite and I remember when I came back in 2010 and first encountered emblems, it was just fine to nudge a mod and be like, hey, this person's done this or would be a perfect match for this. Like, don't be hitting mods up for the sake of getting your friends emblems- and the mod can always evaluate if the emblem is deserved- but I've always been under the impression that suggestions were welcome. Because staff is certainly aware that not everyone is going to be noticed.

The main thing I actually was getting from Nick's post tbh was that you shouldn't be publicly nominating people. And I mean, even privately nominating should obviously be kept to a minimum because if staff get inundated with those messages that's going to be annoying. But the thing is, if it's a staff member's job to hand out emblems and keep an eye out for people deserving of emblems, then why can't the community help with that? Members help with maintaining the environment with reporting and talking to staff about certain issues, yes? Why should they not be able to assist on a more positive side of things?

 

[Maserati777]

I don't think I'll be voting in this poll because I don't want to have a hand in taking something or keeping something I really don't know anything about or care about. (This thread is the first time I heard of these, thanks to the person who posted the picture of them so I'd have a reference to them)

 

[Yuoaman]

Let me just zoom in here to say I'd be kind of sad to see them go, especially the emblem I gave out back when I was a mod because I only gave it out to like four or five people and it makes me feel like the proprietor to some sort of exclusive club.

 

[Cosmic Fury]

For myself, I've only been *active* (if you would call it that) for a little while now. Yeah, I was on an extremely long hiatus right after joining, but still, I've already gotten a couple of emblems.

Overall, I feel they're a great way to tell others what a member is normally up to. Unfortunately, the system itself is underused, and actual discussion seems to be stifled.

Here are a few ideas I'd like to floor. Some have already been mentioned, but note this is my personal opinion on the matter.

1. Giving out badges should definitely be easier. Perhaps there can be certain ones (as mentioned) where emblems are automatically given? And perhaps the badges might be able to be a BIT more standardized in some respects?

2. Currently only mods and above can give out badges. Why not qualify a few people to be able to hand out certain ones? I think that sort of system would be absolutely brilliant.

3. Actually set up a place where it's openly encouraged to discuss emblems. In my opinion, the more we talk about it, the more it'll be used. Am I right?

 

[Chiere]

I like all three of these ideas. I feel that implementing them would help improve the emblems system.

 

[Nihilego]

2. Currently only mods and above can give out badges. Why not qualify a few people to be able to hand out certain ones? I think that sort of system would be absolutely brilliant.

The issue with this is that emblems are handled via the ModCP and allowing access to it means that vB has to recognise you as a moderator and all sorts of other technicalities aside from the fact that we'd be letting regular members use our mod tools. I mean, the system could be set up to work outside of the ModCP but I imagine it'd take a fair bit of recoding and general hassle. Plus if we're going to make major changes to make the system usable to regular members, we may as well as just redo the whole thing.

1. Giving out badges should definitely be easier. Perhaps there can be certain ones (as mentioned) where emblems are automatically given? And perhaps the badges might be able to be a BIT more standardized in some respects?

I don't know if it's possible to automate giving emblems, but I imagine it is somehow (not from what I've seen, though). It's definitely worth looking into. Can you explain what you mean by "standardised"?

3. Actually set up a place where it's openly encouraged to discuss emblems. In my opinion, the more we talk about it, the more it'll be used. Am I right?

http://www.pokecommunity.com/showthread.php?t=237337
http://www.pokecommunity.com/showthread.php?t=326746

Two currently active threads on emblems. There've been more in the past too (although admittedly, far fewer than I remember there having been) and if there's not one a new thread can always be made. I think it's more an issue of general visibility to remind people that they exist than it is a lack of discussion - and certainly, we've not to the best of my knowledge ever discouraged emblem discussion.

 

[derozio]

I kinda feel a sense of pride when I look at some of those, you know? The day Gav was 'oh, you still don't have the graphic artist one?!' and then gave it to me. The day sister Lilith gave me her cute emblem. And others did too. And the days I worked hard for some of those and won competitions. I look at them and I get warm and fuzzy (haha look sis!) inside just thinking about those days. Like, I know they're not important. But some of them have some REALLY good memories attached with them... So yeah, I'd be sad if they were to go away.

 

[OmegaRuby and AlphaSapphire]

I think that Emblems like the ones given out for those who made the BW and XY threads an "initial success" should be given out for more threads as it makes one feel like they noticed that one was there before anyone else was, sort of like a vanguard emblem.

I also think that the manual emblem process could be done as mentioned by Pei. it'll make things easier. Also more emblems for post counts would motivate people to be more active in the threads. Maybe even have one like for people who post 30 posts every day a week (that one sounds tough but a fun challenge).

 

[weedle14]

I have seen many forums have reputation system. Try that if you want. I personally find it good and also tells which members are most active.

 

[donavannj]

I have seen many forums have reputation system. Try that if you want. I personally find it good and also tells which members are most active.

We've used a rep system multiple times in the past with disastrous results to the point where implementing it was eventually given up on and it was converted into the optional "Post Comments" system. We also have somewhat of a rep system in the "Like" feature that was implemented within the last year or two.

 

[Feraligatr13]

I don't really care much about PC emblems. It's cool to discover that I've been rewarded with one (in fact, as I logged in just now I got an emblem for participating in Challeggs), but I don't usually use the more interactive parts of PC. My main purpose for using PC is just to talk to people who have the same interests as I do and to share my Pokemon achievements with other people than the four or five that I know who like Pokemon. I wouldn't be affected much if the emblems were removed, but I would be excited if they were replaced with a more fun concept. To agree with weedle14, I would be interested if a rep system was (re-)introduced to PC, similarly to the one on Kongregate, which is a website where you can play games and score points in each game by fulfilling requirements for achievements in most games.

 

[acatfrommars]

I know I don't have many or much, but if there was a way to have them on the profile visibly, not a tab. Then I'd like to see that, its ashame these 'gifts' are underloved.

Agreed, I think that it would be cool if we could have them displayed under our names. Maybe in form of a Sprite, although I know that would be very time consuming.

 

[Oryx]

Agreed, I think that it would be cool if we could have them displayed under our names. Maybe in form of a Sprite, although I know that would be very time consuming.

I mean it would be time-consuming at the start, but then it could be a part of emblems - when you submit, you submit a larger one and then a 20x20 icon of it. Or it could fit into a category, and each of them have sprites with small numbers on them, like contest emblems, ego emblems, section emblems, etc.

 

[MetalxTongue]

I don't know what they are really. If they were to be removed, I wouldn't really care.

 

[bewbs]

I like them but I think this forum is too big for them because of how tedius they are to set up. I had one and it made me proud. Perhaps make them smaller or give them reputation points.

 

[Tsutarja]

Emblems are something I use to look back on all of the things I've done towards the community. However, I think that they have pretty much lost their touch and value over the years, considering how many of them we have. I'd be fine in getting something new to use for awards/achievements.

 

[Astraea]

no, i dont care about emblems , i just want good friends here!

 

[Sapphire Rose]

I used to care about emblems and they had some kind of value to me in the beginning. I wanted to get lots of them to show people around that I was a veteran here d: I was very childish back then and just wanted everyone to like me.

This was... 2 years ago? I kinda lost interest in them and all I really care about now is my friends here and the roleplays I participate in and GM. When I get a new emblem I'm still like "Oh! A new emblem!" but I'm not really trying my best to get one anymore.

I think we should get a new awarding system. It's not to me to think of one but I got some ideas for one c:

but yeah... that's my feedback about the emblems. I think they are not worth much anymore ^^

 

[curiousnathan]

Quite frankly for me, they're boring and overused.

I'd love to see something fresh and innovative replace them.

 

[jacktheking]

Before reading this threads, I dont know what is 'emblems'. So, I voted for 'Not at all. (If they were removed, I wouldn't be sad.)' .