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Titanium22
your chamber lye breeds fleas


Joined: 14 Sep 2003
Posts: 12253

PostPosted: Thu Jul 16, 2009 11:11 pm    Post subject: Forum help Reply with quote

Sorry, this is not actually an announcement of a new contest - but I wanted to grab your attention for a moment, and the people I want to read this are more likely to open this thread than any others...

I am increasingly concerned by the fact that leading teams in contests set out to win and then - having finished - the members never revisit the forum and never post any hints or even bother to reply to any requests for help even while the contest is still live (far less after it has been completed). There are occasional exceptions - for example Robin (from the merged Dutch and HTPO teams) helped a bit on the forum for What The Dickens II before the contest had been completed - but such examples are sadly few and far between.

Even the re-assembled team who were first to complete WTD2 failed to answer any forum queries.

The most generous forum hints and help almost always come from the members who have started the contest late or who do not belong to the theoretical strongest teams.

But I want you to know that we are working on a new system that will reward those who *do* answer queries and *do* post help on the forums, and which will penalise those who don't.

So be warned...


T22
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The Hirsute One
Hairy but harmless


Joined: 20 Jul 2006
Posts: 17307
Location: Croydon, Surrey, UK

PostPosted: Fri Jul 17, 2009 10:33 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I just wish to say that any contests of mine will not be part of this system. It is my view that people who post for help will normally get a reply from somebody but if nobody posts then I feel the puzzles must be set at the right level to be solved without help. I see this as a good thing.

I wish to distance myself from the comments made above.
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stozz
Pernicious and indubitate beggar


Joined: 23 Mar 2004
Posts: 356
Location: Nottingham, England

PostPosted: Sat Jul 18, 2009 3:05 pm    Post subject: Re: Forum help Reply with quote

Titanium22 wrote:
But I want you to know that we are working on a new system that will reward those who *do* answer queries and *do* post help on the forums, and which will penalise those who don't.

I will be very impressed if you manage to create a "reward" system which doesn't annoy the vast majority of puzzlers. I recall suggestions of a reward system at HTPO many years ago and, while it's always good to suggest new ideas and open them up for opinion, it pretty much went down like a lead balloon.

Jon
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chantilly
A most toad spotted traitor


Joined: 16 Sep 2003
Posts: 594
Location: UK

PostPosted: Sat Jul 18, 2009 8:02 pm    Post subject: Re: Forum help Reply with quote

stozz wrote:
I recall suggestions of a reward system at HTPO many years ago


There was? Surprised

What, for hinting in the forum? Surely not ...!

I do remember some sort of karma system which was all part and parcel of the forum software and I also have a vague recollection of there being trophies, similar to MENEFT, but I can't remember what they were awarded for. However, no way would I have let it interfere with being able to progress in a contest!
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MrsNapoleon
Your purpled hands do reek and smoke


Joined: 23 Jun 2006
Posts: 1220

PostPosted: Sat Jul 18, 2009 11:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

not a good idea, I believe...sure it's hard to get hints sometimes after the strong teams have completed a contest- but for all we know requests for help may be answered via pm..
any reward/penalty system is a way to loose players...
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janet
A pox damn you, you muddy rascal


Joined: 27 Apr 2007
Posts: 1039
Location: Gisborne NZ

PostPosted: Sun Jul 19, 2009 9:20 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I would hate to see arbitrary penalties for a perceived failure to respond to a post. By the time I wake in the morning, all new posts have been dealt with. I will take this opportunity though to say, on behalf of all those in opposing time zones, that it is not fun when you see people online and they choose not to help, because we know we will wait another 8 hours for someone else who can help to come online. And then it is our bedtime. I understand there is competition - and we accept we are out of sync with the puzzle time wise, but still (some of us - lots have dropped away because of this) choose to play because it is fun. Lets have less politics and a little more puzzle community.
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Stretham
Forum Hardass


Joined: 15 Sep 2003
Posts: 24792
Location: Here, there, somewhere, everywhere

PostPosted: Sun Jul 19, 2009 9:44 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

janet wrote:
because it is fun.

It's probably been said elsewhere by other people, but this really is the most pertinent fact in this discussion. And as such...

janet wrote:
Lets have less politics and a little more puzzle community.

Hear! Hear!

Stretham
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Titanium22
your chamber lye breeds fleas


Joined: 14 Sep 2003
Posts: 12253

PostPosted: Wed Jul 22, 2009 7:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I haven't been ignoring this thread - I've been offline for a few days.

But I'm glad we've got an exchange of views going, and perhaps people will think about what has been said when it comes to new contests.

We all had to start somewhere with puzzling - and without generous help on forums (and now also things like Back To Basics which give a general puzzle solving background) most of us would probably have just given up at an early stage and lost out on a lot of satisfaction.

So I will re-iterate my plea.

Will as many members as possible - particularly from the leading teams - reply to requests for help both while contests are still live and also after they have been completed...?


T22
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