Forum Ranks

From WorkCDN

Many forums have ranking systems in place -- most often linked to the number of posts that a user has. However, it is possible to have custom ranks. This is to create a discussion for what sorts of ranks we could have.

Post-Count Based

This is what most forums do. /boooring/

Still, it's an option, and we should consider it.

• Pros
  • It lets people have ranks and feel more personal attachment to the board.
• Cons
  • It rewards spam, and high-productivity but low-post-count users will be left in the dust.

Developer Achievement Based

This idea is formed off of a thread that Samw3 started back on CCN regarding a progression for game development. As users completed certain tasks (such as creating a text game, a single player game, a game with plot/story, a multiplayer game, etc) they would gain "points" to add to their rank. Perhaps each completed achievement would be worth 1 point, giving incentive to do the easy projects (make a text game) before the harder projects (create an mmo).

In this way, we could reward developers for doing things like creating tutorials, creating simple games before complex games, getting a game sold online, getting a game sold in stores, etc. One person described this as "Project Euler for game development", and I think it's an apt title.

Another way to think of it is like Boy Scout Merit Badges, where you get badges for completing projects with certain elements such as storyline, one-keyboard-two-player multiplayer, cutscenes, AI, scrolling screens, etc.

Ideas for Achievements

Keep in mind that each of these "badges" would require clear deliverables, and perhaps even require a voting mechanism to approve badge requests.

• Game types
  • Text-based adventure game
    • Minimum number of rooms, must be "winnable", minimum number of words in the text of the game?
  • Top down 2D
    • Adventure: Minimum size of map, scrolling or all-in-view map movement, transitions from one map to another, playable game
    • Shooter: Horizontal/vertical scrolling, enemies, powerups, minimum length, playable game
    • Real Time Strategy: PvP map, minimum number of factions/teams/races, network play, ai?, playable game
    • Turn Based Strategy: minimum map size, minimum number of factions/teams/races, AI, playable game
  • Platform 2D
    • Breakable objects, moving objects, enemies not walking off edges, playable game
  • Isometric 3D/Fixed camera 3D
    • Minimum map size, hiding behind objects, fog of war?, playable game
  • Full 3D
    • First Person Shooter
      • Playable game, movable camera, minimum map size, multiple weapons
    • Real Time Strategy
      • Playable game, movable camera, building system, unit organization system, AI/Network play
    • Role Playing Game
      • Playable game, movable camera, inventory system, combat system, enemy AI, stats system
• AI
  • Create a game which can be set up as player-vs-player, player-vs-cpu, or cpu-vs-cpu, with AI players playing against each other with adjustable skill level.
• 3D Modeling
  • Create an original 3d mesh with a textured skin and at least two animations, exported to xyz format, and imported into a separate game engine (I.E. not modeling in Blender and then using in BGE)?
• Multiplayer
  • Two players on one keyboard
  • Networked multiplayer on the socket level (using UDP or TCP sockets, with your own serialization/deserialization routines)
• 2D Character Design
  • Create an original 2D sprite sheet for a character in a game. Must include four complete animation states (i.e. walk, jump, attack)
• 2D Character Design Advanced
  • Create an original 2D sprite sheet for a character in a game. Must include six complete animation states (i.e. walk, jump, attack), each animation must have at least four frames. Character must appear in a completed game.
• 2D Level Design
  • Create an original 2D level complete with tiles and two special features beyond the art such as items, enemies, areas, etc.
• 2D Level Design Advanced
  • Create an original 2D level complete with tiles and four special features beyond the art such as items, enemies, areas, etc. Level must be used in a completed game.