Too hard to become established on the forum?

[Immenseman]

There are no active threads at the moment which are still discussing ways on how we can keep our newer members. The best way is to wonder why they're leaving and I think it's because they struggle to establish themselves on the forum. By establish I mean getting post counts, getting noticed, getting staff, getting treated like older members and earning reputation.

Post count
Won't spend too long on this. We know the issue here and it has been discussed. Scrap the post approval. Also, I believe you should reverse the decision to discontinue post count in the forum games section. Sure they're not adding anything to the forum but if people want to get their post count up in an easy manner then I don't see the issue. I know I used to participate to try and increase my post count. I still post in forum games now and they're still quite active but maybe they'd be more active if post count went up in there. New members would be able to use as a way to get their count up and therefore have an improved identity. Older members wouldn't criticise them for doing this and once they've got a decent post count they won't be viewed as a "noob" anyway :rolleyes:

Getting staff
I don't know the facts on this but I would imagine that an older more experienced member would be given the role over a new user regardless of their application. Maybe managers should try and ensure they employ some new users. I've noticed that only HxL seems to employ really new users with low post count. Some of the most valued members have low rep and post count.

Noticed
Everybody likes to be noticed. I know for a fact people don't post new ideas in here because people will flame them because they're not an established member as I have been asked by a few people to post things in here for them. Unfortunately, if someone new was to post something in here it wouldn't be taken as serious if someone like MissAlice did regardless of how good their respective ideas were. I know I +REP all new users who post in this forum. If management acknowledged this issue and posted an announcement telling all users that they're having a problem with keeping new members so want all members to be involved I guarantee that people who want to appear really good forum members will take it upon themselves to make everyone feel welcome as they believe they'll be favoured.

Reputation
Again, I know people don't use this forum and stay on this forum for reputation but I know I didn't like it when I had 1 power and people around me had 15+, it makes you feel inferior. Maybe scrap the system altogether. Or would it be possible for new members to have a different set up with regards to reputation. I think it's 600 points needed for a new power, that's not easy to get to. So many members are stuck on the 1-3 rep power. Maybe if they were a bronze member of whatever they should only need 200 points to go up a new power.

Anyway, just a few ideas on how to tackle the issue. I know they're all pretty minor but I reckon if all of them were implemented together (if possible) then there would be an improvement, even if only minor.

Of course there have been many other ideas such as creating a group for them all to join and what not.

[hah]

Most of the DJS only sign up to the forum because its how you apply to become a dj and thats why they dont post they arent really deacated......look at clubhabbos djs 1000+ posts for most if them

but no point really posting this cause jess never replys here or posts anywhere in the forum

and rep ye lol i manged to get like 400 points in 3months but got banned

id rather my rep points go up than the bars......
too hard to get rep points

[Alkaz]

I have noticed some of the things you said there Jake, I think its really good that Jess and Melissa hire new people to Habbo/Habbox and I know that alot of the time not all are successful but its given them a chance and there are still lots of good DJ's that come out of it. I agree what you said about valued staff, Roxy has 900odd posts, Faboosh around 350.

I think that favourtism to certain people has become more fair over the past year or so but it certainly does go on still and not just posting things in forums such as this, with staff too. Before you could almost 100% predict who would become staff when apps were open.

Also with rep I dont think many people have liked it since it was shaken up whenever it was. It would be better if it was something like an achievement on Habbo, the lower the level the easier it is to get a new level. It could be something like 100rep per rep power then go something like: 150 - 250 - 400 - 600 etc. I can remember on my old account becoming proud when ever I went up a rep rank i.e. Alkaz has much to be proud of. It took me like 2 years to get 4800 rep points, but I worked hard for it and was extremely proud and there wasnt many people that had rep powers like that on the forum.

There could be alot of changes which could drastically change the forum and make it better for existing and then new members.

[Seatherny]

Don't scrap the reputation system. When I joined, I tried my very best to get more rep bars and that made me want to post more to get the bars higher and rep power higher.

[hah]

Don't scrap the reputation system. When I joined, I tried my very best to get more rep bars and that made me want to post more to get the bars higher and rep power higher.

i think he is suggesting that you lower the levels so that its easier to get

[Alkaz]

At the minute you have to get 600rep per rep power, thats a LOT for a new user and it takes like a year or something now as barely no one reps others. Its disheartening and offputting because thats what most still like to do.

[Immenseman]

I know it won't be scrapped but it might as well be seeing as it's virtually impossible to get many more. I only ever see first page but I'm basically the only person since the change that gets reputation frequently. Imagine starting today, you'd never get 7k rep like I do and obviously people like Neversoft have much more than this That will never happen with the current system.

[Sammeth.]

I think the main problem with the reputation system is the strict limitations on it. I think if anything the limits should be reverted back to how they were, if not a little bit stricter, but just not to the level they are now.

For the other three points, I don't think any of them are that integral to why we aren't retaining newer members. I think for someone to feel inferior, people with higher post count and higher rep count must act superior around them. Maybe the problem lies with people reading too much into post count and rep count. It something that shouldnt be heavily focused on, nor should it really reflect social status. I think maybe it goes to peoples heads sometimes. As a new member though I wouldn't really look at post count and feel dismayed, I would feel I would want to contribute more to try and build on that.

In terms of hiring staff I dont think that people getting hired has any direct correlation as to whether the applicants are newer or not. I think its more to do with the fact that people with more post count and more rep power tend to be more established and know a bit more about how Habbox works. A brand new member applying might not have that knowledge. Its not that managers look at their post count or see they're an older member and think "Oh they'll be better" its just they genuinely have a better application down to their knowledge of the departments, something that newer members gain as they become more involved. HxL tend to hire newer members simply because most of the applicants are listeners and aspiring djs and know what they need to do, regardless of being previous members on the forum.

They're very good points well made but Im just not sure how much effect they actually have on their (new members) standing within the forum.

[FlyingJesus]

Getting staff
I don't know the facts on this but I would imagine that an older more experienced member would be given the role over a new user regardless of their application. Maybe managers should try and ensure they employ some new users. I've noticed that only HxL seems to employ really new users with low post count. Some of the most valued members have low rep and post count.

Sounds like the awful equality laws for employment to me - if you have to fill a quota of new/unknown people then you're bound to have to skip over a few people who would actually be decent at the job. Older and more experienced members are more likely to get jobs because they are older and more experienced, it's like the difference between hiring and apprentice who's been in the field for years or someone who's just left school looking for their first ever bit of work. Would you want to give the next person who randomly signs up mod powers without knowing anything about them?

Reputation
Again, I know people don't use this forum and stay on this forum for reputation but I know I didn't like it when I had 1 power and people around me had 15+, it makes you feel inferior. Maybe scrap the system altogether. Or would it be possible for new members to have a different set up with regards to reputation. I think it's 600 points needed for a new power, that's not easy to get to. So many members are stuck on the 1-3 rep power. Maybe if they were a bronze member of whatever they should only need 200 points to go up a new power.

Rep (like awards, which we've still heard nothing of as those who can actually implement them are AWOL) is something people can view as an achievement, like some do with post count and obviously anything else that you can count in your favour, so I would say fixing rather than scrapping it is the way to go. I agree entirely with changing the requirements down in rep because currently it's so hard to get a decent amount that it's rendered almost useless, although not entirely obviously or it would never be an issue. Perhaps as you've said for lower levels less rep points are needed - perhaps 200 for the first 3 rep power, 400 for the next 5 and then 600 from that point on or something along those lines. It would benefit everyone that way I think, as if all rep powers take a small jump then obviously there is more rep to go around, and so it can be gained easier and for the first few levels not be such an impossible accomplishment.

[Immenseman]

I think the main problem with the reputation system is the strict limitations on it. I think if anything the limits should be reverted back to how they were, if not a little bit stricter, but just not to the level they are now.

For the other three points, I don't think any of them are that integral to why we aren't retaining newer members. I think for someone to feel inferior, people with higher post count and higher rep count must act superior around them. Maybe the problem lies with people reading too much into post count and rep count. It something that shouldnt be heavily focused on, nor should it really reflect social status. I think maybe it goes to peoples heads sometimes. As a new member though I wouldn't really look at post count and feel dismayed, I would feel I would want to contribute more to try and build on that.

In terms of hiring staff I dont think that people getting hired has any direct correlation as to whether the applicants are newer or not. I think its more to do with the fact that people with more post count and more rep power tend to be more established and know a bit more about how Habbox works. A brand new member applying might not have that knowledge. Its not that managers look at their post count or see they're an older member and think "Oh they'll be better" its just they genuinely have a better application down to their knowledge of the departments, something that newer members gain as they become more involved. HxL tend to hire newer members simply because most of the applicants are listeners and aspiring djs and know what they need to do, regardless of being previous members on the forum.

They're very good points well made but Im just not sure how much effect they actually have on their (new members) standing within the forum.

Yeah, I'm aware they are very minor issues but I thought they were worth raising to gauge opinions from others. With the inferior point, that is why the reputation system was changed, new members were constantly complaining how they felt victimised when they were -repped with people who had 40+ rep power, like they used to. This is why I mentioned it. I know that the change was with ---MAD--- and that I was the only AGM who opposed the proposal therefore nvr must've agreed to it so it might be hard to change the reputation system seeing as he's GM, even if he's away.