Curse

BlueNovember · Nov 19, 2007, 11:38 AM // 11:38

Why not have /thank give the target some blessing (see below, specifics are unimportant, but plenty of scope) for good behaviour, helping out, or generally being friendly.

It's great that aNet is making effort to improve the community. Recently we've had more features for partying, separate of trade/all chat, and /reporting leachers/spammers.
However most of their efforts seem to focus on chastising the "bad" players rather than rewarding the "good" players. The carrot is missing from the proverbial "carrot and stick".
(Edit: Forgot about Player of the Week and the "1 of 1000 specially selected people in GW" recieve "you're a good person!" letters in the post. Both of these are excellent ideas.)
There's been many occaisions where I've wanted to show my appreciation to a graceful winner/looser in pvp through more than just "gg, well played".
Conversely, over the last double-HB weekend I've given lots of advice to people who asked for it, and been thanked. I'm sure there's similar situations that arrise in pve also. (People giving build advice, helping with pugs, explaining quests, telling people to do Galrath from ToA/Bergen and not LA... etc)

I generally think this would inspire people to be nicer.

Quick ideas for reward (I'm sure the reader can come up with better though) -
# Visible status effect (enchantment "I am a nice person!", halo, shimmer...)
# Paragon angel wings?
# Favour of the gods style announcement upon reaching some threshold
# Change colour of your chat text all/team chat
# Title
# Increased loot drop bonus (Edit: No, bad idea, ignore it)

It only has to be something simple. The least effect it has on the game the better really, as people are less inclined to abuse it.

Potential for abuse
Obviously, a group of friends could repeatedly use the feature on each other for mutual benifit. Some sort of limit or check may have to be in place, depending on how significant the reward was.

Thoughts?

---
I realise this is not a democracy, but I tallied the /signs and /not signs. (Did not include those who just pointed out suggestins for improvements or flaws).

/signed:

Shadowfrost ("I like the idea", no /sign)
legion_rat/the_rat
Darkhell153 (conditionally)
Vinraith
englitdaudelin
Oblivious Moose
Fril Estelin
Morgenstern
Diddy bow
silv3rr
Lexxor
Zephyr_9
Rich_Izy
Aera Lure
KZaske (ty :P)
ValaOfTheFens (conditionally)
Abedeus
System_Crush
arcanemacabre (<3)
gremlin
---page 4---
Hengis Stone
ZonerZ
Swift Thief
jimme
tyche7
Shayne Hawke
Croco Clouds
Songbringer
Dante the Warlord
Exterminate all
Apache.Scythe
---page 5---
hallomik (concept)

/not signed

MithranArkanere
Bankai
anonymous
thedeadlyassassin
Darkobra
Woop Shotty
L|S >+>+G+<+<
Stormz
Seraphic Divinity

Shadowfrost · Nov 19, 2007, 11:49 AM // 11:49

An interesting idea, to be sure.

The first five options you listed are viable, but the last isn't.

To stop too much farming, maybe limit you being able to thank just once per hour or something?

Personally I like the idea of the halo or other visible status effect.

crazy diamond · Nov 19, 2007, 01:20 PM // 13:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlueNovember

Obviously, a group of friends could just /thank each other and farm the system. Some sort of limit or check would have to be in place, depending on how significant the reward was.

I move that the safety be dubbed the Circlejerk Denial.

legion_rat · Nov 19, 2007, 01:23 PM // 13:23

/signed this is a cool idea. I have seen and dealt with several nice people in game and would like to see them rewarded.

~the rat~

BlueNovember · Nov 19, 2007, 01:28 PM // 13:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by crazy diamond

I move that the safety be dubbed the Circlejerk Denial.

lol! Mmmmm indeed. Innuendo will be the death of me. I'll edit the post to rephrase my wording.

Yeah, Shadowfrost, I agree that the added loot drop is probably ott. It was just an idea I threw in. Will make a note of that also.

Thanks for the /signs =)

Bankai · Nov 19, 2007, 05:21 PM // 17:21

1k For /thank

Will /thank Anyone For 1k

Plx /thank Me, I'm New 2 This Game

Darkhell153 · Nov 19, 2007, 07:03 PM // 19:03

/signed
only if you add in that you say "I have been thanked x number of times, I am cooler then you guys" on all chat xD

Vinraith · Nov 19, 2007, 07:39 PM // 19:39

/signed

We have the stick, it makes sense to have a carrot as well.

MithranArkanere · Nov 19, 2007, 08:17 PM // 20:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bankai

1k For /thank

Will /thank Anyone For 1k

Plx /thank Me, I'm New 2 This Game

That's the reson not to add this.

No one pays to prevent a /report.
But many would pay to get /thanks.

New guild rule: Everyone has to /thank daily all other members.

Tsk... tsk...

Antheus · Nov 19, 2007, 09:12 PM // 21:12

When I want to thank someone, I just report them twice.

Two wrongs might not make a right, but two /reports make a /thank.

crazy diamond · Nov 19, 2007, 09:15 PM // 21:15

Two wrongs don't make a right, but three lefts do.

Bankai · Nov 19, 2007, 09:16 PM // 21:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by MithranArkanere

That's the reson not to add this.

No one pays to prevent a /report.
But many would pay to get /thanks.

New guild rule: Everyone has to /thank daily all other members.

Tsk... tsk...

Yup, you'd get those kinds of things.

It's a horrible system. I've seen it used multiple times and it's always bad. It's even worse when the developers put in items that you can only use if you got /thanked enough.

iriyabran · Nov 19, 2007, 09:26 PM // 21:26

while we at it can we make /donate
i need new armor

JeniM · Nov 19, 2007, 09:33 PM // 21:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by crazy diamond

Two wrongs don't make a right, but three lefts do.

What was that from? I seem to remember hearing it in a cartoon ages ago

Ontopic i think theres too much room for abuse

crazy diamond · Nov 19, 2007, 09:40 PM // 21:40

It's not from any cartoon, it's true. Try it.

anonymous · Nov 19, 2007, 09:45 PM // 21:45

I don't want to see artificial kindness. People should be nice because they are a nice person, not to get some reward from /thank.

englitdaudelin · Nov 19, 2007, 09:46 PM // 21:46

/signed...but rewards should be minimal--I like temporary halo or wings.

No /thanks from guildmates unless: it's leader /thanking officer, or /officer thanking members.

I think title is bad idea--it's too likely to result in mindless thanking. But a temporary, one-use reward (halo that you can wear, all day, until you log out, or until midnight local time?) might just do the trick.

Maybe earnable only if you've done a quest with live people in last hour?

BlueNovember · Nov 19, 2007, 09:48 PM // 21:48

Why is it more abuseable than /report?

If anything, people have less motivation to abuse it, especially if the effect is only something of limited value. I'd imagine that helpful people would likely value something along the lines of a shimmer/halo more than malicious people would.

I agree that the value would be weakened if everyone could get it easily. Perhaps make the effects temporary?

An easy way to solve almost all abuse problems would be to make it so one account cannot /thank another account more than once, perhaps within say, a 1 month limit.
--

"New guild rule: Everyone has to /thank daily all other members."
Would that even work?
I know if (forwhatever reason) I found myself in such a guild, I'd probably end up only thanking people I thought were more worthy of it than the rest. (Which is kind of the idea anyway).

Ty for criticisms though, always welcome.

Edit:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anon

I don't want to see artificial kindness. People should be nice because they are a nice person, not to get some reward from /thank.

o0, very profound. I fear that this is somewhat idealistic though. Besides, nice people in game are already nice. This is more to encourage others to be nicer.

Oblivious Moose · Nov 19, 2007, 09:58 PM // 21:58

either visual effect, or make it an enchantment. like the opposite of the dishonour hex.

maybe cool looking enchantment saying your good person, double faction and exp rewards for you.. something that is useless to abuse. as exp is pointless in pve/pvp. and bonus faction isnt worth spending money on ppl to /thank.

/signed for basic concept, needs a little work to prevent it form being abused.

anonymous · Nov 19, 2007, 10:10 PM // 22:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlueNovember

o0, very profound. I fear that this is somewhat idealistic though. Besides, nice people in game are already nice. This is more to encourage others to be nicer.

Yes it might encourage others to be nice, but I don't want to see "Helping people for /thank!!!!!". Its just the attitude that "I won't do something nice unless I get something for it" that I don't want to promote. The intention of your idea is good, I just don't like what I think will happen if it gets implemented.