Boards›Boards Feedback

Tying "comments" to up- and downvotes.

JackYAqua·7/20/2014, 10:57:58 AM·5 votes·388 views

I really don't like the current up- and downvote system.
Firstly, I can downvote threads without even reading them. It just makes the job easier for trolls.
Secondly, most people don't even say why they up- or downvote. They simply do, and without feedback, how are we supposed to learn then?
We can't always wait for people like SirArmaMalum and Cpt.Wednesday to explain stuff to us.
And didn't you say that Live Gameplay Balance isn't supposed to be as much a place to give feedback about the game, but rather an opportunity for us, the players, to get better at designing and balancing? How are we supposed to do that if there are no "discussions", and if everything is decided on the whims and moods of the readers?

**So, could you please revert the "up- and downvoting without reading"- change? **

And also, could you make people who up- and downvote have to leave a note, a reason why they did it?
-> I upvote. A small box appears in which I can write. I write a few words, or one, two sentences why I'm upvoting so the person who made the thread can get his feedback. The OP can then decide if feedback should be public or not. So if he gets a downvote with the reasoning "it sux" he can show that it isn't a valid reason.
Then, maybe, you could give the option to "report" up- and downvotes?

Thanks for reading,
Jack.

14 Comments

zork8247/20/2014, 2:33:10 PM1 votes

I always thought downvoting is toxic as it is right now. A forum should be a place to discuss things, but downvoting without commenting in simply toxic because it doesn't add anything to the conversation. A feedback on why you up/down voted would be great

Sir ArmaMalum7/20/2014, 4:18:12 PM1 votes

Funnily enough Hyrum JackyAqua (TOTALLY my bad) this was very close the subject of my first debate thread. Essentially: "The Benefit of Voting Anonymity". Granted back then I was still pretty rough with the outlines and all, but there was a divide between the people supporting it because it addressed lack of thought and people against it because it forced people to explain themselves every time.

Looking back, I think a good compromise might be to have a required-to-comment parameter based on the sub-board it's in (because let's face it do you really need to explain why you do or don't like a meme or game? :P) AND combining this with the a previously mentioned idea elsewhere other idea of adding a like system would put a lot more emphasis on a vote but not force people to vote. I'm imagining it like Steam game reviews. Aaaaaaand that just gave me an idea......

Camphene7/21/2014, 7:36:54 AM1 votes

I couldn't agree more. Anonymity does not encourage thoughtful discussion. Allowing the anonymous to silence discussion disengenders the free flow of ideas.

I said basically the same thing and was at -4 for a good while.

Daen7/24/2014, 9:50:47 PM1 votes

I feel this would actually decrease the amount of activity on the Boards. I will very commonly post a reply then decide to vote on it later or quickly run through and vote on comments/threads when I don't have much time. If I were forced to comment every time I voted on something, I just wouldn't vote most of the time.

As for the upvote/downvote system, Pendragon has mentioned that part of the reason it exists in its current state is to facilitate linking to outside articles later on down the line. I won't say whether or not I like the idea of being able to link things without actually making a forum discussion thread, but there is a reason for the ability to vote before entering a thread.

xStanky7/26/2014, 5:21:47 AM1 votes

test