AN IDEA: AWARDS, :] Options

[*Uronacid*]

Alright, this is the first real positive feedback I have had on this site.

Well, here it goes...

Intro

We have all these contests on CB, but none of them really mean anything or do anything. Most of them are to increase the amount of activity on the site, but do you ever really win anything? Do you really get anything more than just a pat on the back? No, you don't. You merely await next months contest, and pray to God you win the *blank* of the year award. Well, I have an idea that will bring new life to all these "contests".

The Idea

If you haven't noticed, everyone on this site has a "Member's Card". Your Member's Card displays a short bit of information about your profile (contact info, user name, homepage, etc... ), and is accessible via the bottom right hand corner of each and every post you make. I'm suggesting that they add an "Awards" or "Achievements" section to the "Member's Card" and "Profiles".

It would contain miniature medal icons that differ depending on the contest won. For example:

Blogger: The icon might look like a mini silver or gold Blogger "B" depending on the award won (Month/Year).

LiveJournal: The icon might look like a mini silver or gold LiveJournal "Pencil" depending on the award won (Month/Year).

Myspace: The icon might look like a mini silver or gold Myspace.com emblem depending on the award won (Month/Year).

Website: The icon might look like a mini silver or gold "WWW" depending on the award won (Month/Year).

Xanga: The icon might look like a mini silver or gold Xanga emblem (five squares) depending on the award won (Month/Year).

Design: The icon might look like a mini silver or gold Mouse and Paintbrush together depending on the award won.

Lounge: The icon might look like a mini silver or gold medal for member of the (month/year), and a mini silver or gold ribbon for staff member of the (month/year).

I'm sure you can think of many others, but I want to focus more on the idea itself. (although it's easy to think about it.. this is the fun part.)

This awards section might look something like this:
note: actual medals would look a lot better than this... I stole these off google images...

This would encourage people to contribute to the community in a positive way. Members would try harder to compete in contests so that they could win awards that would be permanently added to their profile.

It would also encourage people to move to more than one section of the forums. People would want to collect as many of these medals as they possibly could. They would move to other sections of the site looking for more competition.

I don't see any drawbacks to this Idea... please... I would like your input

Input

Holly: A feature that allows you to click on the medal to view the reason it's on the members profile/card.

Josh: You cannot have more than one or the same type of medal. That way the section doesn't become crowded. (Example: If you win member of the month twice you cannot have medal. If you win member of the year, your silver medal becomes gold.)

kayceeisms: There should be separate badges for each contest. We have plenty of good designers on CB to make new badges if need be. There should be a system that allows a mod to upload a new badge to be added to a users profile.

incoherent: This is a great idea, but it shouldn't be a substitute for physical prizes. They shouldn't put the idea of physical prizes away just because they implement this.

MiSSxMELON: I think there should be a sort of standard, or set way. Like recurring contests (weekly, monthly, etc.) that have medals that are familiar and recognized - not just one-time contests in which people may or may not remember what the medal was for. Although this would seemingly limit contests, it does not have to. Contests that are not recurring could just not offer medals. This way, there would be casual and formal competitions, in a sense.

[*incoherent*]

the only drawback...there would be tons of different award symbols to make, rendering what most of them to represent useless. although i like the idea, maybe people won't understand what the mean unless it has a link and that's why i claimed they may be useless. i really would like to say that i like the idea and would like to see it done.

This is a really great idea and would give winning a contest more meaning. I think it would also encourage more people to participate in them. Also, I like how these achievments would be displayed on one's profile.
I know it was being dicussed briefly amongst staff members about giving out real prizes as well such as a cB tshirt or coffee mud. But I don't know how that would fair.

well i want a t-shirt for the 3 bcc i've won

[*Uronacid*]

the only drawback...there would be tons of different award symbols to make rendering what most of them to represent useless. although i like the idea, maybe people won't understand what the mean unless it has a link and that's why i claimed they may be useless.

Well, say for example you won more than one Blogger of the month award.

I wouldn't suggest adding two miniature silver "B"'s to that persons award section. They wouldn't get more than one icon for the same award. Instead they only keep their Silver-B, and it changes to a Gold-B if they win the blogger of the year award.

It would ensure that a members award section doesn't become to crowded.



T-Shirts cost the site money. Considering all the contests that happen on this site... I don't think they would be able to afford the number of CB T-Shirts they would have to mail out. Do you want to be in charge of sending out 10-15 T-Shirts each and every month? I doubt it, and neither do they. This would be fun, and cost effective.

[Kontroll]

Well, say for example you won more than one Blogger of the month award.

I wouldn't suggest adding two miniature silver "B"'s to that persons award section. They wouldn't get more than one icon for the same award. Instead they only keep their Silver-B, and it changes to a Gold-B if they win the blogger of the year award.

It would ensure that a members award section doesn't become to crowded.
T-Shirts cost the site money. Considering all the contests that happen on this site... I don't think they would be able to afford the number of CB T-Shirts they would have to mail out. Do you want to be in charge of sending out 10-15 T-Shirts each and every month? I doubt it, and neither do they. This would be fun, and cost effective.

Sponsors would work on the cost. Have some T-shirt companies, or coffee mug companies [haha] put a couple banners on here. But then again, I'm sure no one would want to do that. So, what ever.