Medals what whatnot

[Vellos]

...Why is that? Aren't your realm mates the people you know best? I just can't understand the logic behind that.

As for the incoming medals tapering off, I personally do not bother to give medals to people who already have tons. What's the point? I would rather give them to under-recognized players (as determined by the medal system) whom I have found to be trustworthy, fun, or good RPers.

I do much the same thing.

In my opinion everyone should be able to give out medals, maybe once a month or something and at most one per other player (ever), with a minimum time in game before they can give out any. Some limits are good, but I don't care for the fact that you have to essentially be nominated by other players before being able to give out medals yourself. It makes it a closed system.

This, I completely disagree with. Medals are not supposed to be democratic or evenly distributed. They are supposed to be distinguishing features whereby players who have demonstrated their positive influence on the game are recognized; they are inherently non-egalitarian, and to make them egalitarian defeats their purpose. I generally give medals to newer players, but occasionally to older ones who make new contributions: but if newer players don't make equal contributions, there's simply no reason they should be rewarded.

[Anaris]

In my opinion everyone should be able to give out medals, maybe once a month or something and at most one per other player (ever), with a minimum time in game before they can give out any. Some limits are good, but I don't care for the fact that you have to essentially be nominated by other players before being able to give out medals yourself. It makes it a closed system.

Yes, it is a closed system.  That is absolutely deliberate and intended.

It prevents members of OOC cliques from loading each other up with medals so as to look more trustworthy, and ensures that medals flow, by and large, from one place: Tom. 

Some of you may remember the old "trust level" system, where global trust flowed outward from Tom, and everyone could state that they trusted other players, thus generating personal and global trust levels for everyone.  The medal system is partially an attempt to replace that with something a bit less...stigmatic, but it does have some of the same goals.

[Chenier]

The reason you need to have more medals to give to realm-mates than non-realm-mates, I figure, is to prevent all the medals from staying in the same place (or at least reduce the likelyness for this). To reduce the clique effect, to encourage people to give out medals other than just to their friends.

I believe I read something to this effect somewhere.

[Gustav Kuriga]

Yes, it is a closed system.  That is absolutely deliberate and intended.

It prevents members of OOC cliques from loading each other up with medals so as to look more trustworthy, and ensures that medals flow, by and large, from one place: Tom. 

Some of you may remember the old "trust level" system, where global trust flowed outward from Tom, and everyone could state that they trusted other players, thus generating personal and global trust levels for everyone.  The medal system is partially an attempt to replace that with something a bit less...stigmatic, but it does have some of the same goals.

That just makes it all the more prone to abuse, while keeping people who deserve medals left out in the dust. All it takes is one person from an OOC clique to get enough medals that they can give out medals to others from their clique. Then they begin giving it to other members of their clique until they can give out medals. It becomes a vicious cycle, fueling rather than stopping OOC cliques from giving out medals to others in their clique.

[songqu88@gmail.com]

Why do we really need medals anyway, except for those new character limits? I have met some players who were loads of fun but have almost no fun medals, and some players filled with medals whom I found it bizarre how they got so many.

As far as I'm concerned, those are just pretty decorations to show whether you can play that 4th character without donating.

[Chenier]

Why do we really need medals anyway, except for those new character limits? I have met some players who were loads of fun but have almost no fun medals, and some players filled with medals whom I found it bizarre how they got so many.

As far as I'm concerned, those are just pretty decorations to show whether you can play that 4th character without donating.

Because it feels good to receive them. You feel appreciated, and it strengthens your desire to keep playing when things are a bit down.

That's why I give them. To make people I like having around feel good.

Sure, it's not as if receiving a medal is the highlight of the year, but still. It feels good when you put a lot of time in a team game, and others recognize your contribution. We'd gain nothing by abolishing them.

[Vellos]

Because it feels good to receive them. You feel appreciated, and it strengthens your desire to keep playing when things are a bit down.

That's why I give them. To make people I like having around feel good.

Sure, it's not as if receiving a medal is the highlight of the year, but still. It feels good when you put a lot of time in a team game, and others recognize your contribution. We'd gain nothing by abolishing them.

Woah. I agree with Chénier. Is the end nigh?

[Bedwyr]

Woah. I agree with Chénier. Is the end nigh?

I'm with both of you.  That's exactly why I do it, and as for people with medals that you can't understand now...There are a number of people who used to do more than they do now, and got medals for that old behavior.  I've had various upswings and downswings, and I know some people who used to be my absolute favorites to play with who now barely hold court.

[Chenier]

Woah. I agree with Chénier. Is the end nigh?

I like to think it's more because of my vindictive/antagonizing attitude than the poor value of my arguments and ideas. Perhaps I was just less vindictive in this thread.

[Gustav Kuriga]

I still feel that medals are a bit restricted.

[WarMaid]

That just makes it all the more prone to abuse, while keeping people who deserve medals left out in the dust. All it takes is one person from an OOC clique to get enough medals that they can give out medals to others from their clique. Then they begin giving it to other members of their clique until they can give out medals. It becomes a vicious cycle, fueling rather than stopping OOC cliques from giving out medals to others in their clique.

But those initial medals came from somewhere...from someone who had medals and who thought that that person was fun to play with or trustworthy...which means that they deserved them.  It would be almost impossible for some complete OOC person who only cared about their "OOC clan" and only played with them to ever get enough medals to pass them around to the clan.

You can't have it both ways...either your hypothetical person is an evil clanner or he's fun enough and open enough to get medals from people who have them already.

[Igelfeld]

But those initial medals came from somewhere...from someone who had medals and who thought that that person was fun to play with or trustworthy...which means that they deserved them.  It would be almost impossible for some complete OOC person who only cared about their "OOC clan" and only played with them to ever get enough medals to pass them around to the clan.

You can't have it both ways...either your hypothetical person is an evil clanner or he's fun enough and open enough to get medals from people who have them already.

I like medals the way they are now (I would like two more of them but that is beside the point). So I would naturally be on your side in this one... but just so that all the cards are on the table I would like to point out that you can give away medals if you donate to the game even if you haven't received any.

[Triggster]

I like medals the way they are now (I would like two more of them but that is beside the point). So I would naturally be on your side in this one... but just so that all the cards are on the table I would like to point out that you can give away medals if you donate to the game even if you haven't received any.

Are you sure? I've donated, but haven't yet had the option to give any out. 

[Igelfeld]

Are you sure? I've donated, but haven't yet had the option to give any out. 

Yes I am sure, speaking from personal experience.

[Triggster]

Yes I am sure, speaking from personal experience.

Hmmm that's strange. I've got 3 medals and have donated, but no medal options as of yet. Ahh well.