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Star Wars

Discussion in 'Communications' started by HL&S , Jul 11, 2009.

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  1. HL&S

    HL&S Magistrate Emeritus star 7 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Oct 30, 2001
    Furthering the discussion about bringing back the stars from the anniversary thread.

    IGN was supposed to turn on the stars earlier this week for the JC anniversary party, but for whatever reason they haven't yet. The question is, why turn them off after the party is over? The stars were basically there to represent ones post count back in the day, but eventually it was decided that it promoted quantity over quality in posts. The spam thread didn't help either. However, given the dramatic downturn in user activity in the past few years, why not pull out all of the stops to promote more posting? It's not like the stars are inherently evil or like we can pretend quality is at an all time high or ever was after the stars were turned off.

    If it's another perk to posting on the JC, go for it.
     
  2. beezel26

    beezel26 Jedi Master star 7

    Registered:
    May 11, 2003
    I think we have the next I am a JC moderator get me out of here reality show.

    He can share bunks with Kadue.




    Oh and I don't mind the stars. I have been here a while so its not a bad thing.

    I like seeing stars.

     
  3. darth_nemisis

    darth_nemisis Jedi Grand Master star 6

    Registered:
    May 15, 2004
    I totally agree. The stars may promote some spam. So what? I don't think it will be all that bad. It's not like we couldn't use a little bit of a boost in activity, and if this helps that, then let it be.
     
  4. DarthTunick

    DarthTunick SFTC VII + Deadpool BOFF star 10 VIP - Game Host

    Registered:
    Nov 26, 2000
    No, no, & no to stars. We do not need them.
     
  5. Only-One Cannoli

    Only-One Cannoli Ex-Mod star 7 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Aug 20, 2003
    The stars can do no harm. They can only benefit. We need people posting.
     
  6. DarthTunick

    DarthTunick SFTC VII + Deadpool BOFF star 10 VIP - Game Host

    Registered:
    Nov 26, 2000
    The downturn in user traffic will not be solved by adding stars...........................the JC did fine without them when user traffic was high during the PT, so a more meaningful/better solution should be reached. There's also the fact that they look aesthetically horrible, and does encourage spam.
     
  7. Only-One Cannoli

    Only-One Cannoli Ex-Mod star 7 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Aug 20, 2003
    That is your opinion, not fact. In my opinion, your coloured text is aesthetically horrible, as are 99% of our banners and layouts for the forum. I'm not saying that the problem will be automatically fixed by doing this. It's a step forward though to fixing things. Think about the community rather than your own personal preference.
     
  8. HL&S

    HL&S Magistrate Emeritus star 7 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Oct 30, 2001

    There's only one solution and that's George Lucas furthering the live action side of Star Wars. But until then, the board has to stay alive. Short of selling our souls to Satan, maybe the stars would encourage a little more posting. It's not nearly going to bring activity back up to pre-ROTS days, but nothing we can do will effect post count that dramatically. However we can take baby steps to increase traffic with anniversary celebrations, colorful banners, new icons, watched user lists, and stars.

    As for aesthetically horrible, to me that is reading down a page and seeing that every other post is from someone with VIP or more status.
     
  9. GrandAdmiralJello

    GrandAdmiralJello Comms Admin ❉ Moderator Communitatis Litterarumque star 10 Staff Member Administrator

    Registered:
    Nov 28, 2000
    I hope you'll know that I'll be fighting to keep the stars this time. But who knows, maybe a fight is unnecessary. After all, you're right in that the original reasons for getting rid of the stars don't seem to matter anymore. Maybe we'll just leave them on. Who knows?

    Of course, it would be nice if IGN would get on the whole turning them on thing...
     
  10. Dingo

    Dingo Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Apr 23, 2001
    Given the high post counts, and rates at which people reach them now, I really don't think that an argument for curbing spam holds as much water now as it did back in 2001.

    That said, I'm inclined to say no purely because Jay wants them so much.
     
  11. Lady_Sami_J_Kenobi

    Lady_Sami_J_Kenobi Jedi Master star 6

    Registered:
    Jul 31, 2002
    I'm going to vote YES on the stars. It was fun to watch them accumulate.

    I might even start posting in the social threads again.
     
  12. PrincessKenobi

    PrincessKenobi Manager Emeritus star 7 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Aug 12, 2000
    I for one have always been a long time supporter of the stars. And agree with everyone else. It couldn't hurt to see if it helps.
     
  13. Rogue...Jedi

    Rogue...Jedi Administrator Emeritus star 7 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Jan 12, 2000
    I wouldn't be opposed to letting the stars stay for a while after they come back (a few weeks at least) and then revisit the idea and potentially keep them.
     
  14. Havac

    Havac Former Moderator star 7 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Sep 29, 2005
    Thing is, the stars look like ass.

    They're obnoxious, intrusive, and gimmicky. If they were cut down in size by about two-thirds, they wouldn't be nearly as bad -- though I still wouldn't see the need for an e-status-symbol. But the way they are now, they look atrocious. They're around for a month each year now. I think that's enough for nostalgia purposes. Bring back the stars permanently, and after a couple months they won't even mean anything anymore. Having a bunch of stars by your name isn't going to keep people posting after the novelty wears off in a month or less.
     
  15. Darth-Seldon

    Darth-Seldon Jedi Grand Master star 6

    Registered:
    May 17, 2003
    Why not let the stars stay on a trial basis? It really couldn't do any harm.
    Personally, I've always liked the stars. I'd also like to believe that people aren't solely posting/spamming the boards to attain greater stars in their profile.

    Bring them back.
     
  16. Skiara

    Skiara ~• RSA FFC •~ star 10 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Nov 5, 2002
    Beside of that I don't like how they look like, my main point of concern is if the interaction between users will change. Some have many posts, some only a few. Does that mean in the long run, that people with tons of posts have more knowledge than people with less posts? Of course not. But what do newer user think? Will the atmosphere change? In the long run of course.

    Weren't those stars put down also because the get rid of the 'shut up you're too new'-behaviour? :confused:
    (I know there's the sign up date. But one who has 10 posts within one year would be considered 'new' still.)
     
  17. LostOnHoth

    LostOnHoth Chosen One star 5

    Registered:
    Feb 15, 2000
    ahhh.. e-status. Stars should be based upon registration date not posts. One star for every year.
     
  18. Only-One Cannoli

    Only-One Cannoli Ex-Mod star 7 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Aug 20, 2003
    Yes but look at how many people have expressed that they want them. It's not like it's going to hurt anyone.
    And as I already said, most of what's on this site graphically looks like "ass." That's not really a fair argument.
     
  19. Darth Guy

    Darth Guy Chosen One star 10

    Registered:
    Aug 16, 2002
    I WANT TO BE RADIOACTIVE
     
  20. Lowbacca_1977

    Lowbacca_1977 Chosen One star 7

    Registered:
    Jun 28, 2006
    Speaking as someone that has the fewest posts of anyone commenting yet, and the newest registration date.... I think the registration date is probably actually a bigger potential tool, as that does have a distinct distinction already between "the old crowd" and "the new crowd". Having the stars isn't going to suddenly make that sort of situation any worse, imo.

    Also, I'm wondering... am I the only person in here that wasn't here for the stars? When'd that go away?
     
  21. DarthTunick

    DarthTunick SFTC VII + Deadpool BOFF star 10 VIP - Game Host

    Registered:
    Nov 26, 2000

    Fair enough, but it's not like I'm the only user who doesn't like the stars.


    There's only one solution and that's George Lucas furthering the live action side of Star Wars. But until then, the board has to stay alive. Short of selling our souls to Satan, maybe the stars would encourage a little more posting. It's not nearly going to bring activity back up to pre-ROTS days, but nothing we can do will effect post count that dramatically. However we can take baby steps to increase traffic with anniversary celebrations, colorful banners, new icons, watched user lists, and stars.


    Well, do we really want all the drama that stars will cause, especially since we don't know that it will increase user activity?
     
  22. MarcusP2

    MarcusP2 Manager Emeritus star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Jul 10, 2004
    The stars left in like January 2001, I believe Jello told me earlier. So a long time ago. I have only seen them on WULs and last year.

    Tunick, with that attitude we'd never do anything. Why not try it and see what sort of 'drama' it causes? My guess: none.
     
  23. Darth-Seldon

    Darth-Seldon Jedi Grand Master star 6

    Registered:
    May 17, 2003
    Why not return the stars to the WUL? What harm does that do?
    Seems like a compromise to me.
     
  24. Havac

    Havac Former Moderator star 7 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Sep 29, 2005
    Yes, a lots of people in Comms have said they want them -- lots of people in Comms have said they want all kinds of inane things over the course of board history. That's not really much of an argument either. Everyone wants what they don't have; any time anything gets "taken away" there will be a clamor for its return. Put the stars back permanently and you'll have gangs in Comms demanding the stars go away; they want it back to the way it was. Like I said, have them for a month, enjoy the novelty each year. But take away their novelty, take away their nostalgia status, put them there all year long, and what'll be special about them? Who'll care nine months down the line? Do you really think Pancakes and Waffles would work if it was open year-round?
     
  25. Coruscant

    Coruscant Chosen One star 7

    Registered:
    Feb 15, 2004
    SLG, graphically/aesthetically speaking, if we were to concede that much of the site does look like "ass", then let us envision the JC as sitting on top of a pile of sewage. Adding the stars would be a deadweight that would drag it under, suffocating our wonderful forum with human and animal excess, where before we merely sat upon the fecal matter. :p In other words, to me, from what look I got at the stars last July, they look more horrible, by miles, than anything else on the forum.

    Besides, aesthetics are really a matter of opinion, and I believe I find the JC to be quite attractive and appealing, in organization and appearance. IGN provides us with one of the finest-looking message boards of any forum service available on the internet. And apparently unlike you, I have nearly always been quite impressed by all the new forum banners that come along. Bravo to our banner makers, especially Grimby. :)

    However, I do understand the argument that keeping stars (when oh when will IGN finally put them up, I wonder?) might benefit the community and augment activity, especially now that the JC has moved far beyond the stage in its growth that it was at eight years ago. I just wish there were some way to make this stimulant taste a little better, and not like, well, ass. (Thanks, Havac!)

    edit: nice title, btw, HLAS.
     
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