Ask GBAtemp is kind of de-motivational for "helpers".

[exangel]

Here's my thing. I like to be helpful. That's what the majority of my post count is from- helping people solve DS flashcart, and computer problems.

Many of our forum members feel this way too. And I think Ask GBAtemp is a great idea.

My problem with Ask GBAtemp is that the more I answer, the less helpful I feel, because people often neglect to choose a best answer even if their problem is resolved.

Please don't think that I'm just being pissy that my ratio is low, I just think the ratio is a bad idea altogether.

I don't have any problem answering people's questions on, for instance, the R4DS or Acekard subforum when much of the time I get no thanks. But that's because I don't see a ratio of my helpfulness get worse and worse the more I try.

Spoiler: Original ideas to improve Ask GBAtemp's motivational system:

• Open questions for a publicly voted answer after an initial time period. The initial time period would be perhaps a 10 days*, during which the question poster could choose the vote, closing the thread off to voting for a best answer.
• A Karma point system, instead of a ratio
• A weighted ranking system for questions that get multiple correct answers; although this might overcomplicate things, it would help prevent weak/neutral answers from getting too much Karma

edit: Though 10 days might be kind of long a time period, the fact that the question remains "unanswered" after that time (although that's only because no best answer was chosen), surely there are a few different ways to ensure that a best answer actually gets voted for after the Poster's time limit ends.

edit2: Such a change to the system would also make it less unappealing to actually discuss the question because multiple posts to the Question Thread don't kill your ranking. Different participants in the discussion may get a weighted "karma point" such as:
+2 Solved question/problem and explained the solution
+1 Provided helpful information that helped resolve the question/problem
+0 Participated in the question's discussion
-1 Provided incorrect, unhelpful, information that wouldn't otherwise be moderated

Third edit (11/28/11) - Revised summary of suggestions:
1. If ratio is kept, don't count multiple responses from the same person as multiple answers (to facilitate troubleshooting without an added penalty to your "best answer" ratio).
2. Consider adding an improved notification system that members can opt-in to receive when questions from certain categories are asked.
3. Consider permitting a karma/vote system to allow the members to choose "best" answers to older questions if the OP doesn't pick for themselves. Perhaps it could also replace the "best answer ratio".
4. Make the Ask GBAtemp section more visible on the forums: Perhaps by in-line suggestions on applicable subforums or when creating a new thread in the form of question.
5. Consider an anonymity option for individuals posting questions, or possibly just remove postcount display.

 

[Ravte]

So you'll help as long as the carrot on the stick is a number on your screen.... e-peen much?

This is just my personal opinnion, we're all entitled to have them and in someplaces, even to share them with others. *gasp*

Quite the opposite, you really didn't read/comprehend the whole thread did you? I help elsewhere all the time. I said that in my first post even before I made any edits.
You're totally entitled to formulate opinions that totally don't address the point of making Ask GBAtemp more accessible and motivating for everyone, and these are just ideas to improve it.

Oh please forgive my insolence, from what I could comprehend from your....OP. Was that (as pointed out by Pettingzoo) you wanted a change in a system that promotes helping others by giving in return a number to show other people how helpful you're being.

Once again, I'm so sorry. I had hoped you could deduce from my post, that my opinnion is that there shouldn't even exist such an "best answer ratio" - system.

On topic: Maybe a weekly/monthly/annual/up-to-date top - 10 list of best answer ratio users? (with more than 10 answers?) So you could battle it out, I guess.....

 

[exangel]

Oh please forgive my insolence, from what I could comprehend from your....OP. Was that (as pointed out by Pettingzoo) you wanted a change in a system that promotes helping others by giving in return a number to show other people how helpful you're being.

Once again, I'm so sorry. I had hoped you could deduce from my post, that my opinnion is that there shouldn't even exist such an "best answer ratio" - system.

On topic: Maybe a weekly/monthly/annual/up-to-date top - 10 list of best answer ratio users? (with more than 10 answers?) So you could battle it out, I guess.....

How nice of you to agree with me in such a condescending and trolling demeanor.

I'm not saying HEY CHANGE THIS BECAUSE I WANT IT, I'm just presenting ideas, and changing ratio to karma is merely one of them. I created this topic so that hopefully others can provide further input, and many have. I know that there are better ones out there.
But ratio is imperfect in its current implementation, and even just the change suggested by Rydian would be an improvement.

I'm just an irritable old woman by the demographics of this website. Please pat yourself on the back for successfully trolling me.

 

[Ravte]

Is trolling so fashionable in modern times that everytime someones being sarcastic you're given the OK - sign to call them a troll?(what does it even mean these days? lol) Not that I care about people calling me by names, what matters is what I feel about myself.

But truth be told, my suggestions wasn't a troll. Atleast not in my eyes, biased or not, interpret it as you want. I'd just like to add that every system has its flaws, maybe this karma system will be an improvement, untill people find another loophole to mess around with it. And if this change isn't intended for those who're doing it out of pure goodwill, why even change the flawed system?

About the "-20points if trolling" and "but +20 if he was just a noob trying to help" - how'll that work? Oo Just that, a system that relies on it's users to work logically & justly in this case, seems so flawed in anyway / anyhow you look at it. Maybe I've just lost hope in humankind.....

Another thing that popped in my mind, is that eventho I've been coming here for the past 3 years even before registering, I never knew such an feature existed on this site.(untill like 5 months ago) And yes there is an "recent 5 posted questions in AskGbatemp" on the frontpage, but I still feel like it's somehow hidden. I think most people just prefer going over to the forums where most of the trafic is going on. So maybe think about a way of making this section more visible to more of the userbase? more users-->more helpers?

E*Fuuuuuuuuu - Can't think of anything that'll work better than what yahoo does, but even then it has it's own flaws. But I'd say it's the best one out there, atleast as long as it doesn't get overly abused.
The "multiple posts in one thread" suggested by Rydian would work as an temporary fix while figuring out a whole new system in it's place....least it'll stop some inflation, I support this.

 

[exangel]

Is trolling so fashionable in the modern times that everytime someones being sarcastic you're given the OK - sign to call them a troll?(what does it even mean these days? lol) Not that I care about people calling me by names, what matters is what I feel about myself.

Your first post, which referred to a carrot on a stick and e-peen, could hardly be taken for anything but trolling. I was not referring to your suggestions in your response to me.

But truth be told, my suggestions wasn't a troll. Atleast not in my eyes, biased or not, interpret it as you want. I'd just like to add that every system has its flaws, maybe this system suggested by Rydian will be an improvement, untill people find another loophole to mess around with it. And if this change isn't intended for those who're doing it out of pure goodwill, why even change the flawed system?

That misses the point of increasing motivation for everyone who could potentially answer people's questions. Your argument assumes that people should only answer out of pure goodwill.
At present, the flawed system discourages fully addressing the problem (if it requires making multiple "answers" aka posts in a question thread) because discussing the question thoroughly penalizes your best answer ratio (which I think we agreed shouldn't be there, at least not as a motivational stat).

About the "-20points if trolling" and "but +20 if he was just a noob trying to help" - how'll that work? Oo Just that, a system that relies on it's users to work logically & justly in this case, seems so flawed in anyway / anyhow you look at it. Maybe I've just lost hope in human kind.....

Another thing that popped in my mind, is that eventho I've been coming here for the past 3 years even before registering, I never knew such an feature existed on this site.(untill like 5 months ago) And yes there is an "recent 5 posted questions in AskGbatemp" on the frontpage, but I still feel like it's somehow hidden. I think most people just prefer going over to the forums where most of the trafic is going on. So maybe think about a way of making this section more visible to more of the userbase?

Look, we have moderators for problematic trolling, and I don't think that's really a problem for Ask GBAtemp. An upvote/downvote system that results in a maximum of one point for helping out, or a maximum of -1 point for misleading information, really doesn't throw things out of balance. You really exaggerate the intention of that idea.

Yes, I agree that the site feature itself isn't as visible as it could be, and improving its visibility would help out too. That's one part of the "accessibility" angle that I hadn't commented on yet.

 

[Ravte]

Yes, I agree that the site feature itself isn't as visible as it could be, and improving its visibility would help out too. That's one part of the "accessibility" angle that I hadn't commented on yet.

Another idea that popped in my mind would be some sort of notifications to be sent to the users who asked the question. To remind/ask to rate the highest/best answer.
Maybe a pop-up when the user re-visits the thread after a post has been made?
Or maybe an system that forces people to choose the best answer. (not being able to post another question before choosing best answer for the last thread?) But that might be too radical....
If only the ask section was more integrated to the forums somehow.... I bet many people are just tunnel visioning their way to the forum tab and from there to the sections that they're interested in...

E* Bleh, you want motivation, get a bigger carrot. >.

 

[s4mid4re]

Yes, I agree that the site feature itself isn't as visible as it could be, and improving its visibility would help out too. That's one part of the "accessibility" angle that I hadn't commented on yet.

Another idea that popped in my mind would be some sort of notifications to be sent to the users who asked the question. To remind/ask to rate the highest/best answer.
Maybe a pop-up when the user re-visits the thread after a post has been made?
Or maybe an system that forces people to choose the best answer. (not being able to post another question before choosing best answer for the last thread?) But that might be too radical....

Yes, notifications would be an amazing implementation. But not the way you're trying to suggest (although it's a good idea too): members that want to dedicate into helping in Ask GBATemp can set notifications for a certain category (or categories) on Ask GBATemp (out of the six categories). When somebody asks a question, a notification is sent to everybody who has notifications turned on. That way, you are automatically noticed when a new question for whichever category you're strong at is posted.

 

[exangel]

Yeah, it doesn't seem like people can follow categories/subcategories the same way you can follow forums and threads (at least, I don't see it) -- but adding that as well as optional notification (like PM notices) would be way helpful, and definitely a major improvement for helping question posts get resolved more quickly.

edit: Also, if people see that their questions get responses more quickly, they'll probably be more likely to participate in arriving at the solution than leaving the website and hoping for an e-mail about it.

 

[Ravte]

Yeah, it doesn't seem like people can follow categories/subcategories the same way you can follow forums and threads (at least, I don't see it) -- but adding that as well as optional notification (like PM notices) would be way helpful, and definitely a major improvement for helping question posts get resolved more quickly.

edit: Also, if people see that their questions get responses more quickly, they'll probably be more likely to participate in arriving at the solution than leaving the website and hoping for an e-mail about it.

I was thinking about the PM's from the getgo, but then again In my opinnion, the animation / visibility of the notifications should be increased. I've missed multiple notifications because the animation is too short / not enough flashy to bring your attention to it.
Maybe an redesign on that part to make the notification tab being open when you login?
Or maybe this big notification box which zooms out back to your profile bar while shrinking down own it's way back....

E* I mean an open notification tab with only new notifications (current one shows old ones as well, atleast for me) but an option to see your notification history.

 

[Rydian]

At present, the flawed system discourages fully addressing the problem

And especially when it comes to technical issues, this is a serious problem.

 

[Ravte]

So far the ideas have been:
Karma system
Fix to stop the inflation of the current system
Making the Ask side of the forums more visible to the rest of the community
Notifying users that, there has been posted a new question on subject/category they're following

Some good stuff in there, I'd support inflation fix to be implemented right away.

 

[Ravte]

Time to bump this thread back up for more attention!

I'd like to ask a question to lead you to my idea I came up with.

Why is it NOT possible to edit your posts in the Ask section?

I'd like to know a reason, since I'm just thinking about - what if, adding that function could solve the problem of having to post multiple times to ask for more info?

 

[Rydian]

I'd like to know a reason, since I'm just thinking about - what if, adding that function could solve the problem of having to post multiple times to ask for more info?

Given the fact that threads are read top-to-bottom, having to go back up to an earlier post every other post is just going to be annoying and cause confusion.

 

[exangel]

It is possible to edit answers, but there's only a little pencil icon instead of an edit button. I didn't know about it either, but it's not as good as an ordinary discussion thread style for serious troubleshooting.


edit: What Rydian said.

 

[Waflix]

I completely agree with the OP. Ratio's are relative to yourself, and Karma is relative to others. And your vote does not always get chosen as 'best', even if your answer was (really) helpful. And I agree that that is de-motivating.
Just felt like typing this whole story while the OP already did

 

[exangel]

I'm a little bummed that no one from the staff has said anything about improving the Ask GBAtemp section here yet.

 

[Nathan Drake]

I agree entirely with the first post.

My stats, by the way: I've supplied 137 answers. I have 49 best answers. 54 questions went without a best answer being chosen. Around seven or eight questions feature me answering two or three times.

 

[exangel]

Thank you. I'm going to edit the original post a bit so that people don't have to read the whole thread if they don't feel like it.

 

[Vulpes Abnocto]

I'm a little bummed that no one from the staff has said anything about improving the Ask GBAtemp section here yet.

For the record I agree with many of the things that have been said here.
I simply don't see the changes being made any time soon.
Concentration seems to be elsewhere.

 

[exangel]

I'm a little bummed that no one from the staff has said anything about improving the Ask GBAtemp section here yet.

For the record I agree with many of the things that have been said here.
I simply don't see the changes being made any time soon.
Concentration seems to be elsewhere.

Thanks for letting me know you noticed
I understand that section of the site is probably not the biggest priority right now with the recent v3 changes and with all the different gears that make this website turn.
I just wanted to know that this wasn't being flat-out ignored, I guess.

 

[junkerde]

concentration right now is on warn leveling the trolls >