Suggestion: User Prefixes.

[Sheep]

You're right that the options are almost limitless but this would require addition of a lot of new usergroups which opens many more doors for permission problems/other issues. We'd have way too many groups to manage on top of our already big list and I just don't think it'd be feasible to manually edit each user that 'achieves' more specific things like what you mentioned to include their new title (the forum's obviously not smart enough to do that on its own aha). Would become exhausting quickly. The idea is cool in theory but I don't think it works as well with our forum software.

 

[Melody]

You're right that the options are almost limitless but this would require addition of a lot of new usergroups which opens many more doors for permission problems/other issues. We'd have way too many groups to manage on top of our already big list and I just don't think it'd be feasible to manually edit each user that 'achieves' more specific things like what you mentioned to include their new title (the forum's obviously not smart enough to do that on its own aha). Would become exhausting quickly. The idea is cool in theory but I don't think it works as well with our forum software.

Not that I'm advocating this idea or anything but couldn't we just use the vB Social/Joinable Groups function for that?

 

[Nihilego]

Am I misunderstanding this? I don't see the distinction between this and the Badges idea. It's still stuff in your postbit for certain achievements.

Not that I'm advocating this idea or anything but couldn't we just use the vB Social/Joinable Groups function for that?

We're actually gonna be repurposing them soon anyway, so they can't be used for this.

 

[Maruno]

The user bars and groups have effects, which let the bearer do things that others can't - my user group gives me access to the moderation tools in the Game Dev section, for instance. It sounds like you just want something cosmetic, in which case you already have something for that - it says "Comfortably numb" right now.

Alternatively, in the future when emblems and the new award system get fiddled with and made, I'd like to see emblems become more like what you're suggesting - for really notable and important stuff only, such as being an outstanding member and contributor of section X. This would be even better if you could display some emblems in your postbit. Some others seem to prefer simply abolishing emblems altogether, and thus would shift the problems that caused the emblem system to become what it is now (over-saturation, prestige worn away by trivial emblems, etc.) over to the new system, rather than resolve them.

Besides, I think it's important that staff and donators get to stand out somehow, and the user bar is a good way to do so (because they actually say why they're standing out; coloured names alone would be almost ineffective). If they're standing out, other members shouldn't really try to muscle in on that.