Obsidian Portal Badge Renewal Initiative

Belrathius
Belrathius
edited September 2015 in Feature Requests
I want to preface this with the statement that this topic is being introduced with no official support (yet) by any duly authorized representative of OP. That said, let's get right to it.

OP Badges. Why are there so few?

Let's brainstorm for badges that seem reasonable to award people (not campaigns) based on measurable criteria. Frankly, I am only familiar with a select few, so let's start with that list.

* 1 year mark
* 3 year mark
* Ascendant
* GM of a campaign
* GM of a featured campaign (which I assume to mean CotM)
* Played in a featured campaign (see above)

Even looking at other player profiles, that's all that I can find. So what are some other ideas for badges? Here are some ones that I can come up with. The names are, of course, open to change as well...

* 5 year mark (confirmed not provided), maybe even more? Every two years seems reasonable.
* Reforge Heroes (promised in the "Kickstarter":https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/252020431/obsidian-portal-reforged/description at Adventurer level or higher)
* Vanguard Hero (this is the "only thread":http://forums.obsidianportal.com/comments.php?DiscussionID=3441&page=1#Item_9 that I could find that made references to the who they were, but I know it is incomplete)
* CotM Winner
* CotY Winner
* Fanmonger, level 1 - requires GM'ing a campaign with 2 fans
* Fanmonger, level 2 - requires GM'ing a campaign with 5 fans
* Fanmonger, level 3 - requires GM'ing a campaign with 10 fans
* Fanmonger, level 4 - requires GM'ing a campaign with 25 fans
* Fanmonger, level 5 - requires GM'ing a campaign with 50 fans
* Fanmonger, level 6 - requires GM'ing a campaign with 100 fans
* Fanmonger, level 7 - requires GM'ing a campaign with 150 fans
* Fanmonger, level 8 - requires GM'ing a campaign with 200 fans
* Fanmonger, level 9 - requires GM'ing a campaign with 250 fans
* Fanmonger, level 10 - requires GM'ing a campaign with 300 fans
* Fanmonger, level 11 - requires GM'ing a campaign with 350 fans
* Fanmonger, level 12 - requires GM'ing a campaign with 400 fans
* Fanmonger, level 13 - requires GM'ing a campaign with 450 fans
* Fanmonger, level 14 - requires GM'ing a campaign with 500 fans
* MegaCampaign, level 1 - requires GM'ing a campaign with 50 pages (wiki, adventure log, etc.)
* MegaCampaign, level 2 - requires GM'ing a campaign with 100 pages (wiki, adventure log, etc.)
* MegaCampaign, level 3 - requires GM'ing a campaign with 150 pages (wiki, adventure log, etc.)
* MegaCampaign, level 4 - requires GM'ing a campaign with 200 pages (wiki, adventure log, etc.)
* MegaCampaign, level 5 - requires GM'ing a campaign with 250 pages (wiki, adventure log, etc.)
* MegaCampaign, level 6 - requires GM'ing a campaign with 300 pages (wiki, adventure log, etc.)
* MegaCampaign, level 7 - requires GM'ing a campaign with 350 pages (wiki, adventure log, etc.)
* MegaCampaign, level 8 - requires GM'ing a campaign with 400 pages (wiki, adventure log, etc.)
* MegaCampaign, level 9 - requires GM'ing a campaign with 450 pages (wiki, adventure log, etc.)
* MegaCampaign, level 10 - requires GM'ing a campaign with 500 pages (wiki, adventure log, etc.)
* MegaCampaign, level 11 - requires GM'ing a campaign with 550 pages (wiki, adventure log, etc.)
* MegaCampaign, level 12 - requires GM'ing a campaign with 600 pages (wiki, adventure log, etc.)
* MegaCampaign, level 13 - requires GM'ing a campaign with 650 pages (wiki, adventure log, etc.)
* MegaCampaign, level 14 - requires GM'ing a campaign with 700 pages (wiki, adventure log, etc.)

_Note that the leveled badges would only show the highest achievement._

So what ideas can everyone else come up with? How can we revitalize the badge system in OP and make it actually meaningful?
«1

Comments

  • berdman
    berdman
    Posts: 46
    I like what you have listed here so far.

    The only thing that comes to mind right away is a badge for GMing/having GMed more than one game with more than one system.

    Gaming System Adept Being the GM of 2 or more Campaigns using 2 different game systems
    Gaming System Wizard Being the GM of 3 or more Campaigns using 3 different game systems
    Gaming System Scion Being the GM of 4 or more Campaigns using 4 different game systems

    The idea is you would earn the badge for each combination, so have 3 campaigns 2 using Pathfinder and 1 using Savage Worlds then you would be a Gaming System Adept.
  • SkidAce
    SkidAce
    Posts: 830
    Too many Fanmonger and MegaCampaign levels (IMHO)
  • GamingMegaverse
    GamingMegaverse
    Posts: 2,998
    First, "here":https://www.obsidianportal.com/achievements#ascendant is the list of current badges. You will see that some of your proposed ones (COTM) are in there.
    I agree that there are too many levels of mega and fanmonger.
    We used to make a big deal when people hit 100 fans- of which there are not that many sites. BlackVulmea was the keeper of the "gold jackets"- it was a pretty big deal on the forums.
    I know there are only 3 campaigns with currently over 300- the great resource "Gaming Music":https://gaming-music.obsidianportal.com/ which is the only over 1000. Arsheesh' standard for all campaigns to be measured to, before the Reforge, is the only other over 400. I stole more code from him than anyone pre-Reforge- he has since done my main map for my campaign. Everyone should check out "Age of Legends":https://age-of-legends.obsidianportal.com/
    I would do levels for 50, 100, 250, and 500 for fans.
    I would do 100, 250, 500, and 1000 for pages.
    Just my 2 cents.
    killervp
    "A God...Rebuilt":https://a-god-rebuilt.obsidianportal.com
    "OP's COTM April 2012":http://blog.obsidianportal.com/a-god-rebuilt-aprils-cotm/
    Over 350 Fans, and Looking for More!

    Just trying to help out.

  • Belrathius
    Belrathius
    Posts: 206
    I have no emotional ties to the degrees of the leveled badges I suggested, and would personally be fine with the metrics Killervp presented.

    Thanks for pointing out that page, Killervp. Seems I had them all except for the "represent at conventions and meetups" and singular event stuff. It seems my thought was correct that "featured campaign" does translate to CotM. Perhaps that should be clearer...

    Anyone else other than Berdman come up with ideas?
  • twiggyleaf
    twiggyleaf
    Posts: 2,006
    Not really, but I do agree with the more limited numbers suggested by KVP. I'm sure there will be space for more badges as time goes by and situations present themselves.

    twigs

    "I met a traveller from an antique land....."

    CotM May 2016: Mysteria: set in Wolfgang Baur’s MIDGARD.

    Previous CotM Aug 2012: Shimring: High Level Multiplanar Campaign

    Inner Council Member

  • kettle
    kettle
    Posts: 72
    I enjoy the Badge system. My badges stopped with the 3 year badge in 2012. I have been waiting for the 6 year badge lol. I know it doesn't mean anything, but as a gamer I like seein these badges.

    Thanks,

    Kettle

    "Rise of the Dead: Campaign of the Month June 2013":https://rise-of-the-dead.obsidianportal.com/wikis/main-page
    Currently Playing "The Book of Taliesin":https://the-book-of-taliesin.obsidianportal.com/wikis/main-page
  • GamingMegaverse
    GamingMegaverse
    Posts: 2,998
    Done doing things for free to promote OP while being ignored. Looking for other options

    Just trying to help out.

  • Abersade
    Abersade
    Posts: 417
    I too enjoy the badges, I've been disappointed that we haven't been awarded our Reforger badges actually. Every now and then I would check my profile page to see if it was there, it has yet to grace my profile with its presence. Someday perhaps.

    GM of Rise of the Durnskald: Wrath of the Fallen Goddess - February 2016 CotM

    GM of Core: The Ashes of Alcarna - April 2020 CotM

    GM of Stream of Kairos

    Need CSS Help? It may be covered here: Abersade's CSS Hub

  • DreadGazebo
    DreadGazebo
    Posts: 218
    I pushed for new forum software for these exact reasons (among many others) for months. Good luck.
  • Stygianheart
    Stygianheart
    Posts: 6
    I really like a lot of the suggestions the others have proposed.

    Belrathius' suggestions for Fanmonger and Megacampaign are great, but I agree on there being too many levels. I think Killervp's advice on this is sound, but I'd suggest starting them a little lower.
    Fanmonger (10?), 25, 50, 100, 250, and 500
    Megacampaign 50, 100, 250, 500, and 1000
    Just to give new users an early boost/incentive with them.

    I think Berdman's Game systems idea is interesting too, but maybe the numbers need playing with if something like that was implemented to stop people from just "badge farming".

    My Suggestions:
    To stop undue clutter with tons of badges on screen, Belrathius' mentioned the levelled badges would only show the highest earned on the fan and page badges. Maybe this could be implemented for things like our anniversary badge too, so if you've been a mamber for 5 years, you'd have a 5 year badge, not 1,3 and 5 years badges.

    Community V.I.P. or Pillar of the Community? - A badge for members that go out of their way to be helpful/friendly on the forum and in the community as a whole. Maybe this could be tied to a button on users profiles. So if you got some useful help or had a great experience conversing/interacting with a member. you'd give their button a click. After a certain amount they would be awarded the badge, maybe levelled.

    I know that many of us are still waiting for a reforge badge for backing the Kickstarter, but I'd like to see a badge for those of us that went for Demi-God/Immortal specifically. (Hey I'm allowed a little ego stroke once in a while ;p)
  • Maesenko
    Maesenko
    Posts: 325
    I'm with you on most everything, Stygian. And I also agree that the milestones should be easy enough to obtain, at least initially.

    I actually just noticed that our forum profiles keep track of our visits, discussions, comments, etc. Perhaps there is a way to tie that into some of the "Pillar of the Community" talk. Not too sure about the upvoting, though (ratings systems tend to be easily falsifiable IMO).

    As for the Reforge Heroes, "there is a full page for it already.":https://www.obsidianportal.com/reforge_backers Apart from all of the Demigods being lumped together (so there's no visible way of knowing who's Immortal), that list can be an easy means of giving out the "Reforge Backer" badge. Even the Immortals should be easy enough to determine with an Ascendant-status audit.

    Finally, the Longevity/Tenure/Anniversary badge...why not just make it increment by one for every year? Since the site already tracks our signup date, we could really have a more diverse showing by including the even years as well.

    ~Mae

    CotM Selection Committee

  • GamingMegaverse
    GamingMegaverse
    Posts: 2,998 edited October 2015
    Fanmonger 10, 25, 50, 100, 250, 500, 1000
    Mega campaign 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 1000.
    There are only 4 currently with 300 or more fans.
    I agree on the anniversary badges and feel each Kickstarter level should have a badge.
    Pillars should be picked by the council (who should also have their own badge )
    Post edited by GamingMegaverse on

    Just trying to help out.

  • twiggyleaf
    twiggyleaf
    Posts: 2,006
    I agree council members should have a badge!

    twigs

    "I met a traveller from an antique land....."

    CotM May 2016: Mysteria: set in Wolfgang Baur’s MIDGARD.

    Previous CotM Aug 2012: Shimring: High Level Multiplanar Campaign

    Inner Council Member

  • weasel0
    weasel0
    Posts: 435
    At least kick in a couple more anniversary badges and still awaiting the Reforge and Immortal badges.
  • andreww38
    andreww38
    Posts: 239 edited February 2016
    Thanks for necro-ing this thread.

    We'll plan it into our badge planning.

    I believe the situation with badges was that it was manually coded into each player's profile on a command-line level (unless we come across a OP user badge admin panel). Hence one of my to-dos is to have an interface that staff can use to award badges as well as upload badges. There's some planning involved to figure out the hierarchy in which badges ought to be displayed, plus a player admin panel to choose which badges you want to display/hide, especially if you might have 8-10 visible, but have collected 20.

    Also, most of the badges look like they're green?

    Would you like badge color to depict rarity?
    eg: red/gold for godly/epic level ("there can be only ONE!!!"), purple for rare, blue, green (uncommon), white (common).

    Or will a prismatic badge lineup blind you?
    Post edited by andreww38 on
  • weasel0
    weasel0
    Posts: 435
    Haha... andreww... your MMO inspiration is leaking through again. :p

    But not a bad idea either.
  • Basileus
    Basileus
    Posts: 585 edited February 2016
    LOL, well I suspect I would fail my saving throw against Prismatic Spray

    A two-tier system might be interesting (regular and special badges). Regular for the standard things that many users will achieve (one year badge, GM badge, etc...) and special for the ones that really are sort of unique (featured campaign, Inner Council member, etc...). Although, the special badges could be full color, I suppose.
    Post edited by Basileus on
  • twiggyleaf
    twiggyleaf
    Posts: 2,006
    I prefer the two tier approach - regular and special - rather than having to have Basileus fail his saving throw against Prismatic Spray!

    twigs

    "I met a traveller from an antique land....."

    CotM May 2016: Mysteria: set in Wolfgang Baur’s MIDGARD.

    Previous CotM Aug 2012: Shimring: High Level Multiplanar Campaign

    Inner Council Member

  • andreww38
    andreww38
    Posts: 239
    Or possibly bronze, silver, gold color variants?


    We'll do testing to see what works, this is in planning for now, as we figure out if there's a simpler way to load badges onto profiles.
  • NikMak
    NikMak
    Posts: 379
    bronze silver gold seems good to me.
  • ketherian
    ketherian
    Posts: 203
    Something struck me (ow) this afternoon.
    I'm GM of 2 campaigns on OP. ("One ongoing":https://swtwc.obsidianportal.com, "one completed":https://rotrllegacy.obsidianportal.com/).
    I'm a player (and co-GM) in 4. (Two ongoing, two deaded).

    The remaining campaigns in my list aren't .. campaigns.
    They're system-less, game-less community groups
    * "The Fantastinomicon":https://the-fantastinomicon.obsidianportal.com
    * "the one we don't talk about":https://the-new-plot-club.obsidianportal.com
    * and another closed group.

    So how would this affect my badges?
    Do we even have a label for those system-less, game-less community groups?

    --
    Ketherian
    "Signs & Portents":https://swtwc.obsidianportal.com My actual campaign.
  • GamingMegaverse
    GamingMegaverse
    Posts: 2,998
    To follow up on Ketherian, a label for those types of pages would be great.

    Just trying to help out.

  • andreww38
    andreww38
    Posts: 239
    Here is a suggestion.

    Rather than have OP staff come up with badges with input from the community.

    I think it might be good to have a small group focused on brainstorming badges that make sense for the community, as well as maybe some funny ones like, most PC deaths in a campaign, most failed crit rolls?

    That way the group can think through on the most relevant/meaningful badges that mean something to the OP community -

    We can have time-based badges like 1 year, 3 years, 5 years, 10 years (wow!), and go with bronze, silver, gold, plat (needs to be distinctively different from silver, cos most RPGs tend to screw this up in their GUI, or maybe I'm color blind).

    We can have popularity-based badges based on number of fans, most frequently updated (though some type of quality filter needs to come in, so drek being added isn't counted as an updated).

    Once this stuff is in place, we can come up with systems-based rules so that badges can be auto-applied without manual intervention.

    Then the heavy lifting starts to farm this out to the tech boys to automate the process.

    If everyone is pretty ok with this, we can nominate someone to lead this?

    Master of Badges, eh?

    -
    We can also have some type of hall of fame section on the site, so badge holders can be listed.

    Again, some thinking, some planning needed to make this a meaningful exercise that OP members value and see value in,

    Ultimately, the community should be given a voice to what you want and how you want it.

    "So say we all?"
  • twiggyleaf
    twiggyleaf
    Posts: 2,006
    Sounds good. To avoid the possible confusion between silver and platinum, why not supplant platinum with diamond or cobalt steel - in fact, why not make it "Kobold Steel"

    twigs

    "I met a traveller from an antique land....."

    CotM May 2016: Mysteria: set in Wolfgang Baur’s MIDGARD.

    Previous CotM Aug 2012: Shimring: High Level Multiplanar Campaign

    Inner Council Member

  • weasel0
    weasel0
    Posts: 435
    If they belong to Tucker....I want nothin' to do wit' dem demons!
  • Tau_Cetacean
    Tau_Cetacean
    Posts: 285
    good ole' Tucker's Kobolds
  • andreww38
    andreww38
    Posts: 239
    @twigs - sure. We'll even consider Zoolander's "blue steel"

    Still a little partial to red-purple-blue-green-white because of the "WoW Factor"!

    Anyhoo, maybe we can have you be "Master of Badges"?

    I'll even throw in a Valyrian steel sword, one that has lopped off the head of a Hand of the King!
  • UselessTriviaMan
    UselessTriviaMan
    Posts: 546
    "I’ll even throw in a Valyrian steel sword, one that has lopped off the head of a Hand of the King!"

    So... It cuts off royal thumbs??

    ;-)

    Ptolus, City by the Spire - 2016 Campaign of the Year

    "Please pay attention very carefully, because this is the truest thing a stranger will ever say to you: In the face of such hopelessness as our eventual, unavoidable death, there is little sense in not at least TRYING to accomplish all your wildest dreams in life."  - - Kevin Smith

  • Keryth987
    Keryth987
    Posts: 1,047
    Thats not really that amazing a sword

    That guy dies ALL THE TIME. :)

    Keelah Se'lai,
    Keryth
    "Shadows Over New York":http://www.obsidianportal.com/campaigns/shadows-over-new-york
    "2013 Campaign of The Year":http://blog.obsidianportal.com/2013-coty-shadows-over-new-york/
    "Campaign of the Month July 2013":http://blog.obsidianportal.com/shadows-over-new-york-julys-campaign-of-the-month/

  • twiggyleaf
    twiggyleaf
    Posts: 2,006
    I don't know exactly what "Master of Badges" might involve.
    Throw me a PM, Andrew, and let me have a look.

    twigs

    "I met a traveller from an antique land....."

    CotM May 2016: Mysteria: set in Wolfgang Baur’s MIDGARD.

    Previous CotM Aug 2012: Shimring: High Level Multiplanar Campaign

    Inner Council Member

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