Alexandra_Knight
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| Sun Oct 15, 2006 11:41 am Karma |
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Again, in response to a recent query I would like to write a short introduction to the Karma function.
Karma, you may or may not have noticed, is charted beneath the names of posters in the forum, right next to their posts. The Karma a function unique to this board hoster apparently, and we moderators would like to find a good use for it.
The idea we wish to implement here is that everytime a member makes a post which we consider to be extremely well thought out, informative, or just downright amusing we will credit the member with one mark of karma. By this method members will be able to see which others are making more effort within the group. This is used in conjunction with the membership ranks, but allows us to differentiate those poeple who post rivers of messages without much thought or use, and those who really put effort into the content they share. So, those people who spend the majority of their time in the general discussion forums chatting about mundane affairs might end up with an extremely high post level, but since the content of their messages will likely not be productive to the group their Karma levels will be low. However someone who posts frequently in the resources forum, or who takes part regularly in the critiquing circles wil develop a much higher Karma level.
It basically means that people can see on first sight who the productive members really are. And it provides, we hope, an incentive for people to make productive, informative and well thought out posts.
Additionally to post content, there are other ways to raise Karma.
- taking part in and perhaps winning competitions
- promoting the group elsewhere
- providing other services for the group, such as starting competitions, encouraging member participation, and anything else you can think of that will help the community grow.
- making an exceptionally thoughful, informative post. Perhaps a response to someone else's comments, or maybe begining your own thread.
- creating and sharing your own useful writer/artist resource, for example a particularly useful character interviewing technique to create detailed charcters, which you have deisgned. Or an article to be shared about world building etc.
- providing a particularly useful link to a relevant site
- and more to come...
We are still debating as to what the benefits of a high Karma rating will be, the most likely one at the moment being a 'member of the month' spot on the homepage where you can advertise yourself, your work etc, and link back to your own pages.
Currently only moderators and administrators can give or take Karma from people. And Karma can also be taken away from people if they behave inappropriately or flaunt the more minor rules.
This is a preliminary post at the moment, and a more detailed one will follow. We are still in the process of ironing out this feature and so once all is well a more detailed post will be made.
As always I welcome any questions and comments.
Alexandra Knight. |
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