Latest forum upgrade - IMPORTANT - READ THIS!

[Buoysel]

Is there a limit to the amount of blogs we are allowed?

 

[Forci Stikane]

Or, you can fund us a bit extra (and by the way, you can shoot me now).

Already did.

...Eh, I was going to do that eventually, anyway. I just don't know when.

 

[Musaki Kidosho]

Vbulletin is starting to become very versatile eh? I mean, first the Profiles now the blog.

 

[Percy Thrillington]

Actually, to clarify, you have to meet some special criteria to be able to use blogs.

You either must have over 5000 posts (in forums that count post count) and be registered for at least 30 days. Or, you must be a tier 2 community supporter. Or be a staff member.

Additionally, you may be able to get a blog if you're active in a particular area - you can have, if you're an artist, say, an art blog. Whether you qualify is up to staff. (And we're not doing that yet.)

I have concerns that the part of your post I've bolded will cause Postfarming.

 

[Cherrim]

I have concerns that the part of your post I've bolded will cause Postfarming.

If someone is essentially spamming all the way to 5000 in order to get blogs, it should be rather obvious that they aren't putting quality into their posts, so I'm not too worried about that. If people aren't posting properly for this, we'll catch them. :(

 

[Percy Thrillington]

I never said the staff wouldn't catch them, I just said that postfarming will probably occur a tad bit more frequently now.

As for five thousand posts, is that not a little much? I know members who have posted here on a daily basis for a year or two and they haven't got more than three thousand posts. Can the blogging restrictions only be made by post count or could it be done by how many years a member has been here?

I'm not trying to overrule your decision, I'm just wondering.

 

[Sushi.]

How do I make a Blog thread? Because I know how to reply a comment to someone, but I want to know how to make a Blog thread.

 

[Buoysel]

you don't have the required amount of posts. You have to have 5000 posts or be a tier 2 or higher PC supporter

 

[Rukario]

I never said the staff wouldn't catch them, I just said that postfarming will probably occur a tad bit more frequently now.

As for five thousand posts, is that not a little much? I know members who have posted here on a daily basis for a year or two and they haven't got more than three thousand posts. Can the blogging restrictions only be made by post count or could it be done by how many years a member has been here?

I'm not trying to overrule your decision, I'm just wondering.

the 5000 posts mark was chosen because it represents a VERY active/talkative selection of PC's users.

Some selected (and interested) users will be chosen (or allowed depending on how they were brought to our attention) to blog.
This will allow some members with lower post counts (or not a supporter) who REALLY have something to contribute via the new blog system to get blogging permissions.. topic, quality of existing posts, and overall impressions, among others, will be how the staff determines who additionally get the bog UserGroup. we want it to be fair, yet somewhat easy too. every member has a chance..

If you WANT to blog, have something to say, etc., PM an upper staffer with your request (be detailed)

 

[Netto Azure]

Blogs???

At the rate I'm going it's going to take *Calculating* *scribble, scribble*...about 8 years to make 5000 posts...and by then I'll probably be graduating with an undergrad degree... But nah... I'll probably would have donated at PC by then (If I'm in College...) :P But still the Blog feature looks great since I want to consolidate my Internet experience to a few places (It's very hard to keep track of the things you do on the 'net :\ )

 

[Rukario]

Just another quick note:

This blog stuff is new to PC and the staff still.. while we have discussed it (who, permissions, etc..) we haven't yet set it in stone .. so we'll most likely be adjusting things (and generating blog specific rules) as we go..

 

[Percy Thrillington]

the 5000 posts mark was chosen because it represents a VERY active/talkative selection of PC's users.

Yes, but the majority of the members on this forum who have more than five thousand posts have been here for about two years or more. I'm talking about the slow, steady posters who will probably never make five thousand posts but are always logged on and post everyday ect.

Some selected (and interested) users will be chosen (or allowed depending on how they were brought to our attention) to blog.
This will allow some members with lower post counts (or not a supporter) who REALLY have something to contribute via the new blog system to get blogging permissions.. topic, quality of existing posts, and overall impressions, among others, will be how the staff determines who additionally get the bog UserGroup. we want it to be fair, yet somewhat easy too. every member has a chance..

Well, yes, I get that, but who knows how long it would take for, say, someone who has been here for ages and has been doing what I described in my last paragraph to actually be approved by the staff?

 

[Virtual Chatot]

Heh, its funny because my password used to be my username back when I was active over at Serebiiforums oh so many years ago...

Just an increased security measure, good job VBulletin!

---
As for having 5,000 posts in order to make a blog, I think its quite the novel idea. The general idea is to keep the common forum idiot from making a blog and just misusing that privilege.
---
On another note: Move over MySpace, Pokecommunity is here! >D

 

[Arcanine]

Just to be a little prick and come in here and back up what Steve said... People I know 5,000 posts looks like a lot, and there are only 65 people on PC who has passed that 5K mark (Cowrie has been here almost 4 years and is just slightly over that mark, so it does take time). But we are saying there are other ways to get a blog, donate to PC would be your best bet. I don't know if you guys know it or not, but this blog update did cost a little to get (it's not a person by person cost, but blogs wasn't apart of this new vB upgrade). I think for all the perks you're getting for Level 2 Supporter is nice, you get blogs, more PM space, a colored name, being able to see the theme testing forum (meaning you'll get to see upcoming themes before everyone else) and your name on the list. All of that for $10, not only does that help pay for the blog thing, but the server costs as well.

And not to totally sound like a sells person, like Steve said, nothing at this point is totally set in stone. We just wanted a high enough number where we could have it where the most active and donators were able to post. Who knows, maybe in the future it'll be lowered to 3K, or whatever. And like Steve said, if you're active enough, and in the eyes of the Staff "fit" to have a blog. But as donators I think it'll be staying Level 2.

I'm not trying to hurt anyone by saying "You're not good enough to have a blog", I'm just saying we're trying to keep this to a small group of people. Just about everyone thinks blogs are cool, and the ones who can make blogs have that feeling of "Wow... I got something that most everyone else doesn't have" (just like how it was when we first started up donations). But if everyone else had it... yea it'd kind of lose that feeling. And it's not really that hard to get blog posting if someone wants it, sure takes a little money but look at all that you get on PC.

 

[Rukario]

Just to re-backup what Arcanine said, we are not specifically looking for more donations.. it just thats one easy way to get the blog usergroup.

What we are looking for is members with something of interest to say to ALL community users for our 'selected' bloggers.

Now as stated by both of us, we will be looking over and evaluating the popularity of the blogs and make adjustments along the way.. if we get 1000 or so users wanting blogs but they only, as a average, have 2000 posts, then we may adjust that post requirement down some, and so on.

BUT, right now, to start off with, we're leaving it as is and are going to see what happens.. and who's interested.

 

[Red1530]

I like the idea of the blog feature for the forum and I think the free way to get a blog is reasonable.

 

[Stronkadonk]

Well what if we have the remember me thing going? But I don't have the same pass/name, but just curious.