Create a mechanism to allow in-game IDEA contributions on the same level as Golden Dais in Forums

Aalm

I am very sorry if I am submitting too many Golden-dais ideas in too short a time. However, after the recent Landmarks discussion, this seemed like a natural follow-up. Still, I hope I am not driving you guys insane.

Reference:

http://forums.achaea.com/discussion/2209/two-landmarks-suggestions/p1

I've submitted IDEAS in the past via the in-game mechanism in the past, but I think the Golden Dais is better because a lot of Ideas are not acceptable in their original form, but become acceptable after extensive discussion, debate, and consideration. The Landmarks thing above is a good example: I started the discussion, but I think that was about all. The final product was very vaguely similar to what I had wanted, but I never thought the magnetic needle, Traveler trait and In Service trait would be removed and the system modified so extensively. The final product didn't look very much like the original idea, precisely because of other people's input, and I think that's the whole point of the Golden Dais.

So, I think the Golden Dais is very important to Achaea's development, and I think the forum format is much more conducive to developing good ideas than the IDEA command in-game because it allows discussion and modification, rather than just the IDEA for consideration.

Unfortunately, a lot of the player base is simply not comfortable with the forums and rarely goes to them, if ever. I think, however, a lot of them wouldn't mind contributing Ideas to the Golden Dais, but still won't go to the forums.

What I was thinking therefore is an in-game mechanism for Idea development that's somewhat similar to the Golden Dais and would allow idea development beyond just the IDEA function without needing to go to the forums. I can think of two ways to approach this: the News system, with a specially altered section for this purpose, or something like the Classlead system tailored to handle Ideas. Or, a combination of these two. Ideas could be handled in an organized manner to introduce a new idea, allow discussion, support and censure, and ultimately provide a finished product for the Garden to consider. All without going to the forums.

Again, I am very sorry that I am throwing out so many ideas in a short period. However, I thought maybe the non-forum players could contribute with this method.

Thank you for reading my idea.

Jules

How about when someone IDEAs something the system walks them through a question where they have the option to post it to Dais (anonymously or with their name)?

Aalm

@Jules : Doesn't that prevent them from participating in the Idea's development beyond the OP, though? If they have to get on the forums to develop it, the players I am talking about probably won't participate. I was hoping for a strictly in-game system that outputs product with the same level of debate and consideration as the Golden Dais, with no need to interact with the forums.

Jules

Yeah, I see what your concern and hope is, but I think having two separate venues for the same brand of conversation might just mean a wasteland.  My hope/thought was that by allowing them to continue to interact solely through the game interface (with the option to "orphan" their idea on the forums if they like) the idea would at least end up in the place where most people are actively looking at and discussing those things.  As you'd mentioned, sometimes it happens that the OP is just a catalyst.  

Aalm

Jules said:

Yeah, I see what your concern and hope is, but I think having two separate venues for the same brand of conversation might just mean a wasteland.  My hope/thought was that by allowing them to continue to interact solely through the game interface (with the option to "orphan" their idea on the forums if they like) the idea would at least end up in the place where most people are actively looking at and discussing those things.  As you'd mentioned, sometimes it happens that the OP is just a catalyst.  

@Jules : The thing is, this duality in presentation and interpretation is already present. The IDEA system sends ideas straight to the Garden to be considered and listed/rejected/implemented. (At least that's been my impression of it, please correct me if I am wrong.) The Golden Dais, which is here, allows for Idea presentation with all the debate, etc. I don't think there's any way to take out this duality. One is for the game, one is for the forums. I was hoping to make both equally situated in terms of debate, input, etc.

Nim

My issue with this is you essentially want to create a forum for ideas for people who don't like forums. That said, maybe there's some potential benefit to letting people comment on ideas invisibly (so that only the admins can read their thoughts), for example.

Aalm

Nim said:

My issue with this is you essentially want to create a forum for ideas for people who don't like forums. That said, maybe there's some potential benefit to letting people comment on ideas invisibly (so that only the admins can read their thoughts), for example.

@Nim : I think the important point is that the people that don't like forums cannot contribute to the development of the game as well as those who do like forums. If the idea you're suggesting can allow those people to contribute without the detrimental effects of forums, and this is done better than by my idea, that's totally fine by me.

We DO already have the Classleads system in-game, though, and that's effective and extensive, so I don't think what I am proposing is that looney-tunes.

Antonius

Aalm said:

I think the important point is that the people that don't like forums cannot contribute to the development of the game as well as those who do like forums. If the idea you're suggesting can allow those people to contribute without the detrimental effects of forums, and this is done better than by my idea, that's totally fine by me.

The only thing they're missing out on is the ability to discuss and refine ideas, and I'm not sure that's going to work terribly well with an in-game format (you're essentially moving the "detrimental effects of forums" into the game at that point, making the whole exercise a bit pointless). There's definitely nothing like that with Classleads currently.

As Nim suggested, modifying the Ideas system to be more like the Classleads system would be a suitable compromise. People could comment once along with a vote either for or against a particular idea.

Ideas from the forums and ideas filed in-game are, as far as I know, given equal weight.

Aalm

@Nim , @Antonius : Yeah, moving the negative effects of forums into the game is definitely not something I'd like to see happen. Classleads-like system would be wonderful.

Sarapis

Not going to make any changes here. We're happy with the current system.

Aalm

Sarapis said:

Not going to make any changes here. We're happy with the current system.

@Sarapis : Okie dokie.