Rep system ideas: your input wanted

[Everlong]

So the original idea we had for the rep system was that it'd be basically a points system integrated with a store where you could buy custom titles or other stuff. We had a points mod installed on here but it was kind of clumsy and complicated and didn't have that integration, so we went with the current mod, which works nicely and integrates well with other features on the site.

However, I'd still like to figure out ways to encourage more people to use the feature. That being said, here are some ideas that I had. Feel free to add more ideas. I want to see people dishing out rep left and right on here.

Rep point contests: Various contests on the forum would result in prizes of certain amounts of rep points. As administrators, Locke and I can give out as many rep points as we want through the administrative control panel. Therefore, sports or wrestling roundtables could result in certain amounts of rep points for winners. Also, if we were to get graphics going again on here, we could give out certain amounts of rep points for that. Etc.

Member of the Month gets rep points: The person voted Member of the Month also gets rep points as a part of their prize. The process for naming member of the month gets turned over to the forum at large rather than just the moderator staff, so people can be more involved in choosing someone they deem worthy of both the custom username color and the mod points that come with it.

The next question that I'm sure you're wondering is, what are the benefits of the rep points? Sure, it's cool to have bragging rights and collect a bunch of rep points so you get toward the top of the member list, but what else? We need some ideas for that.

Ideas I had:

Private forum restricted to those below a certain amount of rep: Anyone who gets past a certain amount of rep points gains access to a private forum. This forum can be used for anything, really... we'd need ideas to make it something exclusive and exciting that people would obviously want to gain access to.

Certain permissions/features restricted to those below a certain amount of rep: Not exactly sure there's a way that we can automate this within the ACP, but we could perhaps do it manually if it's not too much of a pain in the ass. Basically, people with higher amounts of rep would gradually unlock new features of the board as they move up the ranks. Not sure what I think about this, but it could be cool.

Special rank images: If you get a certain level of rep, then you get a special badge in your profile.

It'd be great to get some additional ideas in this thread, as well as any feedback on the ideas I've presented in here. Basically I think the rep feature is a cool tool that could add a lot to the site, but as it is right now we're not really using it in an extremely effective way and I want to change that and encourage people to use it more often.

[SlightlyJames]

The only one of the suggested ideas I agree with is the rank image. The idea of people who haven't been "upvoted" enough being excluded from parts of the forum or different functions doesn't sit right with me.

[PorkChop]

The only one of the suggested ideas I agree with is the rank image. The idea of people who haven't been "upvoted" enough being excluded from parts of the forum or different functions doesn't sit right with me.

I agree with the rank image.

Plus, what could make a private forum so interesting that everyone is clamoring to see it? Unless it contained nudes of Cris in there, I can't think of any reason why. I think that the badges is a good idea.

[motionmann]

People with a certain number of rep points get access to the mods forum and gets to help with ideas and whatever else is going on in the mods forum. I know you have one!!! Lol.

[Westcoastvibes]

I can't see why we would need a private forum or special features for up voted members. A badge of some sorts would be good, or maybe small features for higher ranks such as the ability to have an animated SIG or avatars.

I like the idea of extra points being awarded for participation in forum games/contests as well. I don't thing it should be an extreme amount though. I would also like to see rep points be awarded for general participation as well (maybe 1 or 2 points awarded for post count label promotion)

I think the rep system should be more complex than relying on users alone to allow for people to gain rep from other sources besides our users.

[Everlong]

People with a certain number of rep points get access to the mods forum and gets to help with ideas and whatever else is going on in the mods forum. I know you have one!!! Lol.

I have no idea what you're talking about...

[PorkChop]

People with a certain number of rep points get access to the mods forum and gets to help with ideas and whatever else is going on in the mods forum. I know you have one!!! Lol.

Get out of here with your cheap conspiracies!

[DanielsonTHAGOAT]

I think we should be able to customize the titles like "Social Drinker" to whatever we want. But you have to have a certain amount of rep points to do that.

[Westcoastvibes]

After reading the topic for year end awards I have another suggestion

Maybe have a sub forum dedicated to "best of" where the three topics, three posts and three members with the most rep points would be annotated monthly. Then additional points could be added to whatever member gets post of the month or topic of the month. Subsequently, winners of post of the month or topic of the month would be qualified for post of the year or topic of the year for a yearly award voted on by the users

[Everlong]

I think we should be able to customize the titles like "Social Drinker" to whatever we want. But you have to have a certain amount of rep points to do that.

This was actually something we wanted to implement but the only mod I could find for it was for phpbb2 boards, not the updated phpbb3 software.

[AkydefGoldberg]

In regards to rep, I'm not sure having a secret forum would be all that great and would need a USP like Porkchop said, nudes of Cris or nudity related!

But on dishing out rep for competitions etc, the PL Picks game could see the best performer in a week get reps. Let's say 10 people do picks one week and one guy amasses the most points then he'd get 10 reps (one from each participant). But maybe the 10 reps could come from each person (if they have any) rather than you dishing them out covertly in your own User Control Panel but that might be tricky to do and it's nothing to get your stressed about but just an idea.

[Everlong]

It looks like there are settings integrated into the rep system mod that allow for ranks. So you'd get rank titles at certain levels, and we can include badges at those levels as well. Definitely something I'll look into. I'd want to custom-make the badges myself so that they'd fit with the pub theme we've got going on here, and the rank titles would be similar as well.

However, we'd probably have a lot fewer reputation ranks than post ranks. Want to make them more prestigious, of course

[SlightlyJames]

I'd be alright with that. Just a nice bonus for posting rep-worthy stuff. I like it.

[Hanley!]

Can you make it that the person who gets the highest rep in a month becomes the member of the month? Rather than just the mods picking it.

[Everlong]

Can you make it that the person who gets the highest rep in a month becomes the member of the month? Rather than just the mods picking it.

That's a great idea, I'll look into that.