Challenge Threads

[Sea Monster]

'Morning all

has the idea been floated for a "challenge" subforum?
I enjoy pics as much as the next guy, and I understand threads/post count is important for some sort of forum statistic/ranking thing or something, but it seems every other day I open up the tool forums and the whole first page is individual challenge/merit badge/etc topics making the place seem cluttered (and dare I say it - self indulgent? It's like facebook in there!) and keeping me distracted from the serious issues of debating who makes the best reamer, or whether they should make the next tools out of moonrocks.

In conclusion: Separate area for Challenge/Merit badge threads? Yea or Nay?

[Toolslinger]

I second the motion.

I'm not opposed to challenge threads and merit badges, but I do believe that there are now enough of them to warrant their own sub-forums. If for no other reason than to make it clear which forum section to post them all in.

[zoidberg]

'Morning all

has the idea been floated for a "challenge" subforum?
I enjoy pics as much as the next guy, and I understand threads/post count is important for some sort of forum statistic/ranking thing or something, but it seems every other day I open up the tool forums and the whole first page is individual challenge/merit badge/etc topics making the place seem cluttered (and dare I say it - self indulgent? It's like facebook in there!) and keeping me distracted from the serious issues of debating who makes the best reamer, or whether they should make the next tools out of moonrocks.

In conclusion: Separate area for Challenge/Merit badge threads? Yea or Nay?

The majority of merit badges these days are from the monthly challenges which stay in the corresponding subsection.
The tool talk area covers fourteen subsections.
March is a leatherman challenge.
Click on the yellow pliers to the left of the leatherman tools subsection title, quickly scan for any threads of interest then 'mark read'.
Now when you click on the tool talk 'unread threads' you won't be bothered with the challenge thread clutter.

Keeping people posting is good.
Stats ranking etc pretty irrelevant.
Self indulgent, maybe - if we all lurked then this place would die - the more you join in the more fun you have.
Like facebook, noooooo!! say it isn't so.
Best reamer, moonrock multitools, get these threads started asap.

[zoidberg]

I second the motion.

I'm not opposed to challenge threads and merit badges, but I do believe that there are now enough of them to warrant their own sub-forums. If for no other reason than to make it clear which forum section to post them all in.

The badges help encourage posting in some of the quieter subsections.
Moving them to a separate zone could be a step backwards.
Is it really not clear as to where the threads should be posted?
Flashlight badge in flashlight forum, alox colours badge in swiss army knights forum etc etc.
It isn't a big deal if they are in the wrong place, we'll just move them.

[zoidberg]

Seriously though we are listening and if something really needs fixing then lets start working on it.

[sLaughterMed]

I dont visit this part of the forum often, but maybe I should....

As someone who almost exclusively uses the mobile version of this site, the more popular challenges tend to be a bit much (such as this months Wave/Charge challenge). I actually find myself avoiding the Leatherman forum, since the challenges take up so much space, and there isnt a good way to sort them out on the phone. Same with the SAK forum during the STACK challenge. I dont mind the random badge requests, but maybe a new, seperate subforum just for the monthly challenges, to avoid cluttering the main forum?


I do have to say that I agree the challenges are good for the forum, and keeping participation up is key to the success of MT.O. maybe keep the announcements and  stickies in the correct forum during the challenges, but have the participants poat in a Challenge subforum?

[zoidberg]

I dont visit this part of the forum often, but maybe I should....

As someone who almost exclusively uses the mobile version of this site, the more popular challenges tend to be a bit much (such as this months Wave/Charge challenge). I actually find myself avoiding the Leatherman forum, since the challenges take up so much space, and there isnt a good way to sort them out on the phone. Same with the SAK forum during the STACK challenge. I dont mind the random badge requests, but maybe a new, seperate subforum just for the monthly challenges, to avoid cluttering the main forum?


I do have to say that I agree the challenges are good for the forum, and keeping participation up is key to the success of MT.O. maybe keep the announcements and  stickies in the correct forum during the challenges, but have the participants poat in a Challenge subforum?

I hear you.

[zoidberg]

Anyone else have an opinion on this?

[Poncho65]

I like competition and that was part of the reason I started posting again I would check in and start seeing all these people with merit badges and I was like

Sometimes it does crowd the sub-forums yes but whose to say that is a bad thing I try catching up with them as I can and other days I bypass them for other topics Just my opinion and not endorsed in anyway by MTO

[Poncho65]

On a side note I don't even use the mobile site on my phone, so I really don't know how the place looks in mobile format to be able to comment on the mobile issues

[Huntsman]

.........
I don't mind the random badge requests, but maybe a new, seperate subforum just for the monthly challenges, to avoid cluttering the main forums?

I do have to say that I agree the challenges are good for the forum, and keeping participation up is key to the success of MT.o. maybe keep the announcements and  stickies in the correct forum during the challenges, but have the participants post in a Challenge subforum?

This seems like a very good idea sLM - As the forums do get very cluttered - even when accesed via a PC!

So I agree.......

• Challenge announcement in its 'home' forum
• Individual Challenge threads in a new Challenge sub forum
• Individual/other badge requests in the appropriate 'home' forum

This works the 'other' way too - To the advantage of the Challengees - You can check how you and your mates are all doing on the challenge in that new sub forum.
Or even non partakers can check too, if they have a particular interest in the challenge tool for that month

It will also help if ever anyone wants to check back on past Challenges.

So my vote is 'Yes' New Challenge Subforum !

[rdub934]

Well, since you asked... I definitely see both sides of this coin. I'd say I'm 50/50. In the case of the Leatherman monthly challenge, it completely dominates the subforum so a separate subforum for challenges makes since in that case. However, their were only a handful of us that participated in the SOG monthly challenge so it wasn't as drastic even though that was probably 95% of the posting the SOGforum got in January (except for the new products thread, lol). SOGforum would have been almost untouched in January without the challenges.

I think leave it alone, but I do see the argument in favor of a Challenge Subforum. I just think the loss of traffic for the less popular subforums would be a real shame.

[Grathr]

What if we change the rules for the challenges? In stead of everyone starting their own thread, we keep all the challenge posting to the original challenge thread? That way the challenges wont clutter up the respective subforums.
Just a thought.

[rdub934]

What if we change the rules for the challenges? In stead of everyone starting their own thread, we keep all the challenge posting to the original challenge thread? That way the challenges wont clutter up the respective subforums.
Just a thought.

Not a bad idea, but that thread would be POSITIVELY MASSIVE during the later stages of the more popular challenges. Maybe limit them to five challenges per thread (or whatever number would be approapriate: 3, 7, 10, etc)? That way if say 25 people were participating, 5 people per thread, you would have 5 threads instead of the 25 we would have now. Maybe they could be stickied to keep them separate from the other, non-challenge threads

[Grathr]

What if we change the rules for the challenges? In stead of everyone starting their own thread, we keep all the challenge posting to the original challenge thread? That way the challenges wont clutter up the respective subforums.
Just a thought.

Not a bad idea, but that thread would be POSITIVELY MASSIVE during the later stages of the more popular challenges. Maybe limit them to five challenges per thread (or whatever number would be approapriate: 3, 7, 10, etc)? That way if say 25 people were participating, 5 people per thread, you would have 5 threads instead of the 25 we would have now. Maybe they could be stickied to keep them separate from the other, non-challenge threads

How massive could they become, compared to the lets get posting thread and the test, please ignore thread?

[dks]

Grath et al, I did suggest  a long time ago  having a separate thread where people would just post badge request pictures - once people get their badge they never go back to that thread anyway.

However, one of the reasons for starting the badge system was to actually encourage more new threads, as this helps with income, placing in searches etc.

[rdub934]

What if we change the rules for the challenges? In stead of everyone starting their own thread, we keep all the challenge posting to the original challenge thread? That way the challenges wont clutter up the respective subforums.
Just a thought.

Not a bad idea, but that thread would be POSITIVELY MASSIVE during the later stages of the more popular challenges. Maybe limit them to five challenges per thread (or whatever number would be approapriate: 3, 7, 10, etc)? That way if say 25 people were participating, 5 people per thread, you would have 5 threads instead of the 25 we would have now. Maybe they could be stickied to keep them separate from the other, non-challenge threads

How massive could they become, compared to the lets get posting thread and the test, please ignore thread?

Well, the January SOG Challenge, I just did a quick page count of the individual challenges (not including the original challenge thread) and it is 28 pages. Which is a manageable size. That was only 7 people participating. That's average of 4 pages per person, so if 25 people were participating, that is a potential 100 pager right there. That may be too big. I know that is not as massive as the "What tool did you carry today" thread (597 pages) or "which SAK is getting pocket time" thread (461 pages) but it is still big enough that it may be difficult for Zoidberg to go back through at the end of the month when it comes time to award badges. I dunno, it was just a concern that popped in my head when I read your suggestion and I could just be over thinking it.

So maybe it could just be dependent on how many people join? If it is 7 or less, just post everything in the original challenge announcement thread, if it is 8 or more, divide the people up into Monthly Challenge Thread 1, Monthly Challenge Thread 2, etc...

Just brainstorming to help develop the idea.

[rdub934]

Grath et al, I did suggest  a long time ago  having a separate thread where people would just post badge request pictures - once people get their badge they never go back to that thread anyway.

However, one of the reasons for starting the badge system was to actually encourage more new threads, as this helps with income, placing in searches etc.

Oooooooh. Well, that's a horse of a different color. If this is true, then keep it the way it is