Member awards?

[Nah 3,181]

I am well aware of other forums that do this, but should we do a monthly or yearly award to give to members (like a badge or icon for example), so my idea is this, a member of the month, and at the end of this year, we give awards to certain members, like favorite member, funniest member, most helpful, coolest member, etc, and for monthly awards, we vote for a member to be the member of the month and display their name on the site (probably with in the same area with # of members, posts made in all, etc, or maybe the info banner.)

 

What do you think?

[NavelColt 22,876]

I think most the members here are certainly mature enough to handle such a thing. I say that because if the community isn't, badges and awards for fun like that can cause drama and problems, but to me it seems like it would work fine as a fun community event.

Edited July 8, 2012 by ~Chaotic Discord~

[Doctor XFizzle 8,651]

As good-natured and light-hearted this can seem, I only see it leading to a bunch of butthurt and popularity fights. Tis the nature of being in a community on the internet.

 

However, if this is organized and executed by the site staff ONLY, and not the users, then it could be feasible.

 

Dibs on Wittiest User. And Most Handsome. And Best Doctor. And Best Couple (w/Tom the Diamond).

Edited July 8, 2012 by Doctor XFizzle

[Dragonshy 2,305]

It would be a popularity contest though. Lets say I was popular on MLP Forums, and then I made one art piece. Then people may vote for me, rather than a much better artist that just isn't that well known. I could see this turning into something with less meaning and more as a fight for prestige. So in my opinion, no.

[Zoop 8,384]

Internet popularity contests create little more than massive pits of jealousy and drama. The concept of badges like these have been brought up here previously, and ultimately declined.

[Akemi Homura 7,680]

Uh, no thanks. We are here to be friends and discuss ponies, not engage each other in no-holds barred deathmatch over league-wide popularity out of jealousy/envy.

[Doctor XFizzle 8,651]

Uh, no thanks. We are here to be friends and discuss ponies, not engage each other in no-holds barred deathmatch over league-wide popularity out of jealousy/envy.

 

You're just paranoid you won't win any

Don't worry, I'd vote for you any day

[Filly Pinkie Pie 208]

I personally say yes, just to get Best Pinkie Pie. Pinkie Pie rocks!

[Starshine 16,330]

But if everything about the awards was controlled by mods, and it's nothing related to popularity contest, some potential were had.

 

For instance a "helpful member" badge, which would be given to someone who often answers another members' question about the site and be generally nice about it

[Doctor XFizzle 8,651]

But if everything about the awards was controlled by mods, and it's nothing related to popularity contest, some potential were had.

 

For instance a "helpful member" badge, which would be given to someone who often answers another members' question about the site and be generally nice about it

 

Right, like if there's no vote at all and the users are just chosen. Maybe something like this for the 1 Year Anniversary of the Forums on October 3rd, 2012.

[MVC NVMXD JVRXD 2,406]

Hell, sometimes the post badges make me jelly of others. This... this would cause outrage amongst us!

[Guest]

Right, like if there's no vote at all and the users are just chosen. Maybe something like this for the 1 Year Anniversary of the Forums on October 3rd, 2012.

 

I personally like this idea, a mod only award system for one special day (or perhaps more than one, but not too many). This keeps butthurt to a minimum, and means it can stay fun and friendly for everypony. I give a hesitant "Aye" as long as it would stay under control.

[NavelColt 22,876]

Staff awarded member awards would work fine anyway, as there's plenty of staff to chat about it together, and as we all know, they'd do their best to be fair about it.

[Doctor XFizzle 8,651]

Staff awarded member awards would work fine anyway, as there's plenty of staff to chat about it together, and as we all know, they'd do their best to be fair about it.

 

Playing devil's advocate, there's always that slight chance someone still gets hurt feelings from the results and cries favoritism against the mods. It probably helps there's like 17 mods now, but you still can't rule out what I just said.

[NavelColt 22,876]

Playing devil's advocate, there's always that slight chance someone still gets hurt feelings from the results and cries favoritism against the mods. It probably helps there's like 17 mods now, but you still can't rule out what I just said.

 

Nothing compared to what would happen if it was member-voted member awards. To be fair, there's always the black sheep in the crowd who whines. Several topics caused endless drama with intense discussion with and about the staff, such as the five mile long 'Boat load of new mods' topic. There's always some drama, no matter what. It's a matter of minimizing, not eliminating. In my opinion, knowing that, possibly, some people will ultimately whine over it isn't big enough of a deterrent to not try something out that could prove to be fun. Again, most of this board is mature enough to not throw a fit over it, and if they do, it's not going to last long.

Edited July 8, 2012 by ~Chaotic Discord~

[Doctor XFizzle 8,651]

Nothing compared to what would happen if it was member-voted member awards. To be fair, there's always the black sheep in the crowd who whines. Several topics caused endless drama with intense discussion with and about the staff, such as the five mile long 'Boat load of new mods' topic. There's always some drama, no matter what. It's a matter of minimizing, not eliminating. In my opinion, knowing that, possibly, some people will ultimately whine over it isn't a big enough a deterrent to not try something out that could prove to be fun. Again, most of this board is mature enough to not throw a fit over it, and if they do, it's not going to last long.

 

Oh yeah, member-voted awards would be a battlefield. Staff-choice awards minimizes the drama the most I'd think. I would agree a great majority of the board is mature enough for this.

 

*begins clearing a shelf to place my future trophies*

[Nah 3,181]

Oh yeah, member-voted awards would be a battlefield. Staff-choice awards minimizes the drama the most I'd think. I would agree a great majority of the board is mature enough for this.

 

*begins clearing a shelf to place my future trophies*

 

That would make it easier and keep somebody from getting banned.

[Twilight Sparkle ✨ 8,520]

But if everything about the awards was controlled by mods, and it's nothing related to popularity contest, some potential were had.

 

For instance a "helpful member" badge, which would be given to someone who often answers another members' question about the site and be generally nice about it

 

Staff awarded member awards would work fine anyway, as there's plenty of staff to chat about it together, and as we all know, they'd do their best to be fair about it.

 

If members choose the award recipients, it's going to be a hellish popularity contest. If staff choose the award recipients, it is inevitable that people will try to ostracize us in accusations of favouritism no matter what we do.

 

Personally, I think the trouble it's likely to cause isn't worth the payoff. I thought this community was mature enough to handle some expansion to the moderating team, but the "Boat Loads of Moderators" thread proved me wrong on that count.

[NavelColt 22,876]

If members choose the award recipients, it's going to be a hellish popularity contest. If staff choose the award recipients, it is inevitable that ponies will try to ostracize us in accusations of favouritism no matter what we do.

 

Personally, I think the trouble it's likely to cause isn't worth the payoff. I thought this community was mature enough to handle some expansion to the moderating team, but the "Boat Loads of Moderators" thread proved me wrong on that count.

 

Gonna stick my neck out and say that it was really the same small group of people who caused the most drama in that thread, not really a diverse amount of the community as a whole~

 

But God pony has spoken, so it shall be agreed upon xP

[Doctor XFizzle 8,651]

Gonna stick my neck out and say that it was really the same small group of people who caused the most drama in that thread, not really a diverse amount of the community as a whole~

 

I agree with this. It was a very small contingent. I like to think I was in the concerned, yet mature faction of that thread

[Nas 2,863]

*sees title*

 

This is MLP Forums, not XBOX Live.

 

*sees OP*

....

 

This is MLP Forums, not Facebook.

 

 

But seriously, bro, we don't need this kinda stuff. An organized community like this is fine without it.

[Pinkie D Pie 1,035]

I don't really care either way, still, even with a mature forums, there will be some members getting mad over it, no matter if we are mature, or if the mods do the picking.

[Evilshy 5,089]

I agree with this. It was a very small contingent. I like to think I was in the concerned, yet mature faction of that thread

 

 

I do, too. However, most people would say I was being immature. But whatever :/

 

I must say, I dislike all the implications that if one brings up any concerns and makes an argument for them, they're immature whiners.

[Bronium 512]

I see no objective way to give out awards. This would cause argument or at least some tension as to who got the award. Like Feld0 said, no one can give out these awards.

 

And anyway, this is a place of discussion and not a social network, though sometimes I tend to use it as such.

 

And awards don't particularly help make the discussion any better.

[Starshine 16,330]

If members choose the award recipients, it's going to be a hellish popularity contest. If staff choose the award recipients, it is inevitable that people will try to ostracize us in accusations of favouritism no matter what we do.

 

Conclusion: we got quite a hell of a weird community :/