VIP's

G-FETT, I am honestly not chuffed about it. I don't think we have too many VIPs and it hasn't bothered me. I can see how it might be nice to give some game VIPs or something just titles only. That would be fine. Overall it's just not something I am fired up about.

Oh and as an side, I was totally teasing SLG in my initial post in this thread. I hope no one took me seriously. I know she did not.

 

This is one of the reasons that I have so much respect for Strilo. He says what he feels even if it is about another mod.

 

I agree with the original post, and what Dingo had to say about it. A game host should not be given VIP status. There is really no reason for it, is there? If there is a reason for it, what is it? Former mods, sure - they provided some sort of service, you know (for whatever length of time)?

This isn't the most pressing issue, but meh... as long as it's on the table here, that's my opinion, I guess.

 

Why are you choosing to see it in terms of 'worse'? See it as an continuing endorsement of the forums. As time passes, the number of former moderators will increase. No denying that. If many of those former moderators stick around after their tenure and continue to contribute to the community, that's a good thing. They should not have the customary VIP status removed because it suddenly seems as if that great carrot of yore has been chomped away - as if the establishment might suddenly fail (an underlying theme I pick up on in Dingo's post). As I said, I think it all comes down to a misplaced impression of what VIP status means. Not least because we call it 'VIP status'. In this shrunken e-world we inhabit, I would favour a more contemporary approach, and seek to use the VIP tool more, not less.

 

Are there 'too many' VIPs? Maybe.

Is it about 6 years too late to make this change for it to serve any purpose other than potentially annoy VIPs who have their status revoked? Definitely.

The boards have settled into their twilight years. Removing 'excess' VIP status now serves absolutely zero purpose, and could potentially aggravate valued members, even if it is a completely legitimate point.

 

There are a lot of VIPs, but is that because there's comparatively less users than there used to be?

As for my VIPship, I know I should no longer have it but I've been putting off PMing Grimby and did so just before posting...even though I love not having OPPM.

 

My last view on this issue is that of game hosts (obviously, I'm speaking as one): each game is different, and is obviously run differently. Some are more successful than others, but each host puts the time in (no matter how much time it takes to run a game) & effort to see it that it's run right, and that people are participating. Why not a small reward for that? There is no harm done, and I doubt anyone sees being a 'VIP' (in the capacity as game host) as something that inflates their ego. The 'I' can easily stand for anything other than important ..............this is the JC after all, not everything has to be so serious.

They beat Boston!: 2009-2010 L.A. Lakers: Back-to-Back World Champions

 

Is getting a title(but not VIPship) not a reward? To me that's more than enough reward for the effort of being a game host.

 

My personal feelings are, I don't think you need vip-ship to run a game. I remember when you didn't get vip-ship, you were just happy to run a game and put the time into running it. But then after the game is over what happens? You get people who "forget" to pm the mod's that the game is over with I'm done. And then when mods do notice and demote the person, they come up with another game.

I have never understood or understand why we still follow the practice of giving Game Host vip-ship. I would like to hear though from more of the Game host as to how they feel on the matter. Because for the most part, most game host are not speaking up at all.

 

I admit I had found it useful in the games that I have hosted, which were the SWC Senate game and the Saga PbP game where I had to make posts in quick succession, particularly with the senate game when I was Chancellor ages ago.

But really, I didn't think it was necessary.

 

Sure, but it's also neat (and a nice touch) to have colors in the username (something I believe all users should have the opportunity to have, if they so choose). No need to break/change an outstanding rule when there is no ill effects. As to Sonja's point about people "forgetting" to tell a mod when a game is over, and thus demoting themselves as a VIP- that's an issue to be dealt with a on case-by-case basis, as I see it. And it also depends on the user/how they run their game. For instance, in my game in The Arena, a monthly color prize is awarded (also more colors based on a streak of 12 correct picks or more)...........and I'm always on top/notify a mod when it's time to award a person their colors/VIPship, and when it's time to demote them. A user who doesn't run their game well may not have the inclination to tell a mod to demote themselves (the game user) when the time is up. I also don't know how much of a problem that particular issue is, either.

They beat Boston!: 2009-2010 L.A. Lakers: Back-to-Back World Champions

 

Tunick I fail to see the logic in your argument simply because of your specific case of VIPship, which happened to occur while I was in MS. I'm not going to bring that into Comms because that's an MS thing, but I know that you know what I'm talking about. If I was reading your posts without being aware that there was more than meets the eye, yes of course I would sympathize with you. But I kind of can't because of that.

 

I don't think taking away VIPship will add anything to the JC. As Vertical said, it would probably only just cause some bad feelings.

As for whether they deserve VIPship - I've always thought yes. They work hard. Some of them work VERY hard, depending on the requirements of the game. Yes, they should do it out of the goodness of their hearts and the betterment of the forums, much as mods do. But its a nice reward, just as mods get rewards.

Besides, there are currently 13 game hosts with VIPship. (7 are in C&G and 6 are in various forums, if you're curious.) IMO that's not over-running the JC.

 

Maybe not solely for hosts, but then you have to at least double up on the VIPs given out to game winners as well. It just all adds up, and if colours are going to be used by so many people, why not just let everyone have them. It's my understanding that mods/managers/admins were originally designated with colours so users could easily identify the members of the MS for help, inquiries, etc. Kind of defeats the whole purpose if half of the normal users have VIPs, colours, titles, etc.

I've seen at least a few examples of ex-mods/managers getting called out because newer users didn't realize they weren't in the MS anymore.

A few years ago, there was a huge issue about icons and banner makers having Vipships/titles because technically what they were doing for the site, while appreciated, wasn't quite worth the reaping the privilege of being specially acknowledged for their efforts.

So, how in this case, are game hosts any more special or hard working? Sure they run a game, and some of them do it well, but let's be honest. Running a game here and there, isn't as ongoing or technical as making banners, and to a lessor degree icon makers?

If you have to keep the colour coding going, why not make former staff red, like before. Game hosts some other colour, and staff on leave, green?

It'd make it a hell of a lot simpler for new people, to identify mods, and should be a fair halfway point for everyone that thinks this to be an issue.

 

That's not a good argument either for keeping or removing VIPship. If excess VIPship is a problem in a few forums, then it's a problem for the boards and something needs to be done about it. Especially if it's a problem in the forums that have the most traffic.

 

Although I can understand that some may be agitated by losing their colors, I cannot see how someone would stop posting because....their colors were taken away. That isn't very logical.

 

I really think Vert made the best point. 5 or 6 years ago this might have had some weight but at this point in the life cycle of the community you are going to upset some people that have been here for the better part of a decade.

As for the game hosts...the only real justification to keep vip red would be to help single out the host when they post.

But if the administration does at some point want to look into making a change it would have to be a wholesale change. No colors for ex-mods, game hosts, icon makers, or banner makers. Just CR's in blue, star wars vip's in red, the occasional game winner and the Mods in colors.

Things have been this way for far too long. I really think this is nit picking and suggesting change for the sake of something to do..

 

As I've already said I think at least twice in the thread, it's not nit picking because I'm constantly hearing others bring it up in conversation on and off the forums. If something gets complained about that often, it's worth seriously discussing.

 

Edit: I sent you a PM I think I might have missed your point and wanted to verify something.

Edit 2: Retracted statement due to be being a dumsa**.

 

What? I think only one person said something about users confusing VIPs with mods a while back. I'm kind of confused what you mean.

 

And banner makers do get colors - full colors, not just VIPship, though for a lesser amount of time. And icon makers get titles. And believe me, I appreciate what they do - and if I thought I could get away with giving them more, I would.

 

They probably could get away with more - icon makers do a hell of a lot more work than a lot of game hosts. Those people who pump out 20+ icons at a time and then come back for more in a couple of weeks, that's kind of....a lot of work.

But admitting that goes against my side on this.

 

I guess applying my own logic to this goes like this: It goes without saying that a majority of those who care about the place enough have done something to "earn" (if that really be applied on message board) a VIPship means they will have hung around longer, hence why there are "so many" VIPs. I'm not applying this to everyone, because there are many out there that post without their colors, even though they can have them. As there are many that don't have colors, have never been a mod or game host, and I'm sure care a great deal about the place. I don't think they're worth messing with, personally. But I don't post enough anymore to get that riled up if I don't have them, either.