Contributor Rewards? Kudos?

[Billie Bonce]

I did like kudos. It was nice to receive them, it was a stimul to post more good things. It was nice to give them, much easier than to write something valuable. Kudos is one of the reasons for me to keep posting at DeepSinking.

[quagmire_uk]

The kudos system at deep sinking did have big problems.

But...!

There was one good advantage of the kudos system. It meant that writers and artists could see whether "lurkers" liked what they had contributed. A great story or image might have only 6 or 10 or 12 people reply in the thread to say how great it is, but if it has 150 kudos, then you know that at least 30 people really liked it. (And if some people gave 3 or 4 kudos rather than 5, then perhaps around 40 or 50 people liked it.)

It's especially useful is someone does something that is a bit of a "niche" work that not everyone likes - the person might only get 2 positive replies in the thread, but if they also ended up with a total of 40 kudos then they know there were several others that liked it too and simply didn't comment.

I think the big problem with Deep Sinking's kudos system was the fact you could only give out 5 kudos in one day. Many people considered kudos to be like a star rating system (5 stars, 4 stars etc), and when someone really liked a work they were likely to give a full 5 kudos. Yet quite often there were two, three or even four really high quality works released in a similar timeframe, and so people couldn't give kudos to those, and left messages like "You'll be getting 5 kudos when they recharge" and that kind of thing.

If something is worth 4 or 5 stars it is worth 4 or 5 stars, regardless of the quality of other things up on the forum at the same time. You don't see film critics giving a film 2 out of 5 rather than 4 out of 5 because there's another good film out at the same time! Heh.

Anyway, I don't mind the lack of kudos. I'm just saying I understand where Billie Bonce is coming from - the kudos system meant he knew he had lots and lots of fans, other than the ten people or so that bothered to actually post a comment in a thread.

[Nessie]

Many people considered kudos to be like a star rating system (5 stars, 4 stars etc), and when someone really liked a work they were likely to give a full 5 kudos.

I noticed that too. They were always out of kudos. I mostly forgot I had kudos at all, nor did I much notice when I got them, but when I did give them out, I tended to ration them. Not that I never dumped all five on anybody, ever, but I didn't treat it like a ratings system.

You brought up a good point about lurkers. Say, I draw a MALE quicksand scene, and it gets, predictably, 2 posted responses, but suddenly I notice 35 kudos sitting under it. If the system was revamped to have unlimited kudos but only one kudo allowed per post, then I'd know that at least 33 more people liked it than than it looked like without kudos.

Nessie

[Billie Bonce]

I think the big problem with Deep Sinking's kudos system was the fact you could only give out 5 kudos in one day. Many people considered kudos to be like a star rating system (5 stars, 4 stars etc), and when someone really liked a work they were likely to give a full 5 kudos. Yet quite often there were two, three or even four really high quality works released in a similar timeframe, and so people couldn't give kudos to those, and left messages like "You'll be getting 5 kudos when they recharge" and that kind of thing.

I don't think it was a problem of the system. I think it was a problem of some people. Actually, it was a rating system. I preferred to give all 5 kudos at a time for a posting that I appreciated (usually for a good drawing, rarely for a good humorous comment). If there were more than one posting of the stuff in one day I just remembered that I have to return and give 5 kudos the next day. Usually the queue wasn't too long, three-four days at maximum.

Other people really did it a different way. When I was unlucky to post a picture with AcidTester or UberGaijin in one day, my picture received only a few kudos. The worst thing was that stupid "I'll give you kudos when they recharge". Who needs those promises? Does anybody watching, did you gave kudos or not? Kudos system is anonymous. Just return the next day and give kudos silently!

If the system was revamped to have unlimited kudos but only one kudo allowed per post, then I'd know that at least 33 more people liked it than than it looked like without kudos.

Nessie

Yes, that could be a better thing.

[UberGaijin]

I think the big problem with Deep Sinking's kudos system was the fact you could only give out 5 kudos in one day.

That is one of the things I had big issues with.

[Jinn]

Wow all these bottled up emotions about kudos! Words like 'big problem' and 'flawed' and 'popularity contest'! It's ok, I have kudo-envy too, I just don't take it seriously. I just thought it was a fun way to hunt for good work. It feels strange when I see a great post and instinctually 'reach for the stars', but there's none to give.

[Nessie]

Nessie wrote that Kudos were like a rating system. Half true. They were a pat-on-the-back, circle-jerk system.

Incorrect.

I agreed with a statement that some people treated kudos LIKE a rating system but I did not see it as a rating system.

So, I know you're not going to, but if you DO end up implementing a rating system in the future, make it an ACTUAL rating system (positive AND negative). Content will quickly stagnate and decrease in quality if you allow positive reenforcement without its negative counterpart. This is what pissed me off about DS. You couldn't say anything that wasn't positive about someone's contribution unless they specifically asked for criticism (which, even then, had to be done in the lightest, sugar-coated manner possible).

I am a female in a fetish that's male-dominated and I also have a degree and some professional experience in graphic design. Imagine what I could say if I felt like being a dink.

It is not appropriate for me to say it. I'm not on the job nor am I teaching school. I am in an environment where a bit of a hard line around the hair of a model on a photo-fake just doesn't matter worth squat in the big scheme of Life.

I am on a board dedicated to a very small and unique interest...and anybody posting here has already had their fair share of feeling weird and fearing rejection...they are very likely to be looking more for acceptance than art instruction.

Negative kudos aren't the way to handle this...in fact I can't think of a better way to open the door wide to those who like to let out their hostile side anonymously!

I do in fact think critiques are appropriate in some cases...there are people who use their fetish to hone their creative skills. There is nothing wrong with that at all (and it may have an advantage over other methods of practice in that one doesn't get bored practicing), but such people usually do specifically ask for critical feedback. It is appropriate to give it in that case.

Other than that? Yeah. I consider it rude.

Nessie

[wackypackcolonel]

I always kudoed people who graciously took the time to write something about my work. It was nice to receive and to give them. I don't see the problem with it in fact it let me know what type of work people enjoyed seeing the most. For the most part we're all faceless here because of this particular fetish so it's nice to be rewarded for the time and effort put in sharing our art with those who are not as artistically inclined. Besides it's just a nice thing to do. That's right "nice" I have faith that most people here are nice folks and having a problem with being nice just seems like more of the same assholery that has always bugged me about our group. I'm sick of cynics go form your own cynical qs group and let the rest of us have a little fun. This site is suppose to be a distraction from the everyday and to be celebrated by all of us who enjoy it if you can't grasp that concept spare us the negativity and just go away.

[jack c]

Wackypackcolonel - nicely stated - I agree with your point of view.

[UberGaijin]

I'm sick of cynics go form your own cynical qs group and let the rest of us have a little fun. This site is suppose to be a distraction from the everyday and to be celebrated by all of us who enjoy it if you can't grasp that concept spare us the negativity and just go away.

Just out of curiosity, is this a general statement or were you referring to someone specific or some specific event?