Feral Heart

Game & Forum Discussion => Forum Discussion => Forum Suggestions & Ideas => Topic started by: Azurain on October 14, 2018, 02:35:33 pm

Title: Community Helper
Post by: Azurain on October 14, 2018, 02:35:33 pm
Now, I know what you all are thinking: "Azura...MOTS is basically your community helper role..."

In a way, yes, MOTS can be considered the community helper role, but what I"m suggesting is a tad different. The community helper role could be for the people who help around the forums and game, and help the staff with events and other things. Community helpers can be past MOTS when their seasonal titles are over with, and people who are all around helpful (you wouldn't have to be MOTS, past or present, to be a community helper). I feel this could really help the people who otherwise don't qualify to be a MOTS or have already been MOTS before(I sort of think that if you are a CH, along with staff, you can't be chosen to be a MOTS).

The downfalls I see of course to this thing is...clutter. It could clutter the forums with a new color and possibly confuse people, but if there is a post explaining such a thing, that can be cleared up fine. Community helpers of course would not be moderators, they will have no powers on the forum or in game. And another downfall is the fact it's similar to MOTS and most people may not even see a need for such a role.

It's honestly an odd idea but....I thought I'd at least put it out there. Feel free to discuss and add your own ideas! I'd honestly love to see what you guys think and maybe even refine it enough for it to become a thing here! ^^
Title: Re: Community Helper
Post by: G4RG0YLE on October 14, 2018, 02:44:07 pm
This is a neat idea!
However, the problem with this is that people will view the role 'Community Helper' as a rank-up in the "hierarchy", people believing that simply because they are helpful, they are above all others, this potentially leading to abuse of title, meaning they may think they are a member of authority.

Not only this, but a lot of members are actually very helpful in the community yet do not receive enough recognition for it, so I suppose this could be a 'pro' of the idea, except the fact that you would've had to been MotS to receive the role, as you have suggested. No one should have to be MotS simply for the role or for recognition, imo.

In regard to helping out with events, a few things you'll notice starting to change within FeralHeart is that the Staff are becoming more and more open to the willing, helping hands of the community. We are in fact starting to keep our eyes peeled for people who may have some unique ideas that they'd wish to elaborate on to the Staff Team directly, so that their concept can later be discussed and perhaps even incorporated for future events.

I appreciate this idea though!

Edit: I reread the post and came to realise you also said you wouldn't actually have to be MotS to receive this title. Whoops, silly me!

But as you said, cluster will be an issue here, as a lot of members are very helpful to the community and, with people being given said role, some other members might feel 'degraded' for not receiving the title themselves. Causing a rise in demand for people to be given the role of a Community Helper.
Title: Re: Community Helper
Post by: Edolicious on October 14, 2018, 03:12:29 pm
Aside from what Scally already pointed out, you don't need an official title to be a helper around the community. And when they finish planning the event, map, etc, is their title going to be removed? I think it'd seem too much like 'community helper' is your title until your 'usefulness' runs out, so to speak. That seems like the vibe it would give off, even though everyone who helps out here is valuable beyond measure. But again, having that title stripped and being just a regular helpful fluff again seems it would cause that gap between users, or 'hierarchy', like Scally said.

I do love the idea on paper, I'm just not sure how it would work out if implemented, taking human nature and whatnot into consideration.
Title: Re: Community Helper
Post by: Azurain on October 14, 2018, 05:08:08 pm
Yeah what you all said was very true. Never took into consideration that it would become a high demand and may cause more issues in the long run.

Although I wouldn't think anyone would be stripped of the title, no. Unlike MOTS, if you become a community helper, you stay as one unless you of course...don't want to be one anymore. I mean not everyone is going to want to be a community helper anyway. BUt yeah I totally see where you two are coming from!
Title: Re: Community Helper
Post by: Morqque on October 14, 2018, 06:39:33 pm
I would indeed like to see a few more titles going around but, as stated, it would be practically a fight for the
title and those with the title may think higher of themselves than others. Maybe simple titles such as "Artist" "Map-Maker" "Roleplay Owner"; etc would
work? I have seen some other forums use that - but it may not work out for FH.
Title: Re: Community Helper
Post by: WolfQueen on October 14, 2018, 06:52:09 pm
some forums have roles that you can add yourself like what morqque said. if it was possible, i think that would be a lot more inclusive. in the profile settings you can set yourself roles such as "artist" "roleplayer" "map/preset/object maker" "couch" or even "helper"

hypothetically, if there was a role like MOTS people would just fight for it and help people just for the shiny color. other members might confuse them with mods as well.
Title: Re: Community Helper
Post by: Astraea on October 14, 2018, 06:55:57 pm
Hrrrrhm.

I think this is a good idea in certain aspects but I do have to agree with a lot of what has been said. Power struggles. Mistaking them for mods, etc. I think other forum ranks would be cool, don't get me wrong, but maybe other ones such as what WolfQueen listed.
Title: Re: Community Helper
Post by: Calvary on October 14, 2018, 07:46:46 pm
Actually, there would be a good solution to this. One that doesn't involve titles or anything of the sort or a special color on the site. The idea is great, and here we can work out a few kinks so I know this is possible:

On the forum, we have a Custom Profile Field, which is the thing that says "Species" and there is a drop down menu where you can choose.
Those are custom profile fields, but they really don't show up on your mini-profile when you post so people see what you are. The perms for it are set to profile-only.

A good way to integrate this would be to have a Custom Profile Field with a list of roles (artist, helper, map-maker, etc)
Members can do the check box method and select the roles they want, and Raz can set the custom field to show up on mini profiles, so that way we can see what roles members are when they post or by going on their profile, and it would help us relate ourselves to each other in a way. "Oh, you're an artist? So am I! Wanna collab?" And things like that. It may bring the community a bit closer, or perhaps help newer individuals get accustomed or know who to go to if they need a friend or someone who can assist with other minor issues.

It is possible, but would have to be done in that way and Raz would have to set it up. Wouldn't take too long though, of course.
Title: Re: Community Helper
Post by: Astraea on October 14, 2018, 07:54:41 pm
Actually, there would be a good solution to this. One that doesn't involve titles or anything of the sort or a special color on the site. The idea is great, and here we can work out a few kinks so I know this is possible:

On the forum, we have a Custom Profile Field, which is the thing that says "Species" and there is a drop down menu where you can choose.
Those are custom profile fields, but they really don't show up on your mini-profile when you post so people see what you are. The perms for it are set to profile-only.

A good way to integrate this would be to have a Custom Profile Field with a list of roles (artist, helper, map-maker, etc)
Members can do the check box method and select the roles they want, and Raz can set the custom field to show up on mini profiles, so that way we can see what roles members are when they post or by going on their profile, and it would help us relate ourselves to each other in a way. "Oh, you're an artist? So am I! Wanna collab?" And things like that. It may bring the community a bit closer, or perhaps help newer individuals get accustomed or know who to go to if they need a friend or someone who can assist with other minor issues.

It is possible, but would have to be done in that way and Raz would have to set it up. Wouldn't take too long though, of course.

This sounds like a great idea, Calvary. I didn't think of that.

I know Proboards has the same type of interface, with a plugin, that allows you to do that. Almost exactly the same. If it is possible I think it would be a great way to connect the community further. I am totally behind that and probably many others if Raz would be willing to code it in.
Title: Re: Community Helper
Post by: Calvary on October 14, 2018, 07:57:38 pm
Actually, there would be a good solution to this. One that doesn't involve titles or anything of the sort or a special color on the site. The idea is great, and here we can work out a few kinks so I know this is possible:

On the forum, we have a Custom Profile Field, which is the thing that says "Species" and there is a drop down menu where you can choose.
Those are custom profile fields, but they really don't show up on your mini-profile when you post so people see what you are. The perms for it are set to profile-only.

A good way to integrate this would be to have a Custom Profile Field with a list of roles (artist, helper, map-maker, etc)
Members can do the check box method and select the roles they want, and Raz can set the custom field to show up on mini profiles, so that way we can see what roles members are when they post or by going on their profile, and it would help us relate ourselves to each other in a way. "Oh, you're an artist? So am I! Wanna collab?" And things like that. It may bring the community a bit closer, or perhaps help newer individuals get accustomed or know who to go to if they need a friend or someone who can assist with other minor issues.

It is possible, but would have to be done in that way and Raz would have to set it up. Wouldn't take too long though, of course.

This sounds like a great idea, Calvary. I didn't think of that.

I know Proboards has the same type of interface, with a plugin, that allows you to do that. Almost exactly the same. If it is possible I think it would be a great way to connect the community further. I am totally behind that and probably many others if Raz would be willing to code it in.

It's actually really simple I believe! Knowing we already have a Species custom field, it is likely Raz can add a second one that allows people to see it on others individual profiles or mini profiles (basically the profile that shows up when you post), so it would be really nice to see implemented. Hopefully you all would enjoy that, so it is less tedious work for everyone.
Title: Re: Community Helper
Post by: Azurain on October 14, 2018, 08:06:18 pm
Cal's idea is so much better. I absolutely love that!
Title: Re: Community Helper
Post by: Calvary on October 14, 2018, 08:12:17 pm
Props to you though, Azura! I appreciate the ideas and I'm sure we can implement it now with that. Thank you for putting this up!
Title: Re: Community Helper
Post by: Aico on October 14, 2018, 10:14:41 pm
Love the idea and the idea given by Cal!
Title: Re: Community Helper
Post by: Kuri on October 14, 2018, 10:52:32 pm
Sounds good on the surface but the underlying dynamics would work out chaotic.
Title: Re: Community Helper
Post by: FlyingGrass on October 15, 2018, 02:37:44 am
Titles of "Artist", "Map Maker", "Object Maker/Converter", and "Preset Maker", etc might cause chaos among those who create things to customise the game, some may display those titles to appear better than creators of the same thing lacking the title, I also think that people wearing the title(s) may be thought of as the game's official/chosen creator of presets/maps/objects and the like.
Title: Re: Community Helper
Post by: Azurain on October 15, 2018, 03:06:23 am
Well, if what I think from what Cal said, you could choose which you are best at and it will display on your profile. That means anyone can do it and have that chance to have it. Not just one person is assigned to it.
Title: Re: Community Helper
Post by: Calvary on October 15, 2018, 04:14:50 am
^ Aye, just like anyone can choose their species on their profiles as it does not directly apply to one person.
People can give themselves roles, but they won't show up as anything special. It'll simply display on their profile and mini profile as the species custom field would.
Title: Re: Community Helper
Post by: RancidWine on October 16, 2018, 06:14:13 am
I can definitely see where this would get messy :(
In the case that someone would get the role, if they somehow were removed by not their request (i.e. for being inactive, no longer actively helping, etc)- there's a large chance there could be some revolt from that.

However I really do like Calvary's idea! It would be a great way to show off what you're passionate about in the community as we have all sorts of wonderful and talented people here! Artists, Coders, Map Makers, Info Nerds, etc! ♡ I'd love to see a list like that!