Because it will have the opposite effect of what you predict. Rather than getting a flood of comments, we would get a drought of likes. People are afraid of putting their name on something on what is, let's face it, a porn site, even if it's a pseudonym.
Really? They don't seem to have much of a problem with that on the forum. I also notice discourse taking place across the comments section of various threads. Especially when it's particularly objectionable.
But, in my experience, even that tiny taste of anonymity provided by having to click on the sticker to identify who posted it makes an immense psychological difference, both to the issuer and the people reading.
And what experience would that be? Given that you don't actually talk about this anecdotal evidence, how am I supposed to know it's even a legitimate fallacy?
Writers are desperate for any feedback at all which gives them more to work with than "The Hall of Gratuitous Praise" that is 'likes'. Likes communicate one thing. "I like this chapter.": OK... WHY? The suggestion above communicates more "I'm in awe." "I like this chapter so much I would keep liking it every time I see it if I could." "I think this chapter requires Commentary..." "I am proud of what I did here." "I don't merely like this chapter, I LOVE it!"
Precisely why I said "include comment requirements." I find it amazing this doesn't click in your head.
Also, how does your proposition change that? As I said, you provided stock phrases. No individuality. No understanding of "WHY?" Nothing. It may be words, but it's just as hollow as a Like.
Did you suggest other options?
Yes: comment requirements! Just because you don't like it doesn't mean it does not exist.
And having a "top authors" section on the front page which is decided entirely by trophies doesn't do that already?
No, because the trophy list has already become static. What little room for change exists is based almost entirely on the Patreon donations, due in no small part to the list being sorted chronologically in the event of ties. Unless a Veteran user makes a remarkable comeback, that list isn't changing any time soon. I've even posted a suggestion about this in the past, and reworked it to include room to encourage comments. I'd make a reference to it here, but then I'd rather be fair than just.
In fact, if this is an objection, why have trophies AT ALL? Trophies exist to be earned, they incentivize being driven and productive. This suggestion enhances that driving force.
And cheapens the product we get for it. Not a good trade. Especially since Likes are among the things that can be used for trophy farming.
You do realize that all you have done is rephrase the entire point of one of the options in a negative context? There is no such thing as a tool that cannot be used for evil purposes: and that's all these options would be: tools. Sure, it could draw unwarranted attention to your own threads. It could also draw entirely warranted attention to an overlooked but worthy thread.
And you're going to rely on trust to ensure it's always used for the right reasons? That's entirely the point: all you did was focus on the positives and gave no thought whatsoever as to how it can be abused.
No.
This also allows us to give our fellow creators a shout out for work of theirs that we find sets a higher bar than a mere like. These ratings, because unlike the standard 'like' they are a limited resource, say "This is content that I feel is to a higher standard than your typical work: this is among the best content you've ever made. Aim for this level in the future."
But why do they feel that way? What do they believe makes it stand above the rest? It still begs a comment, especially since you just wrote yet another stock phrase to put on it.
Since they are only available (For now at least) to authors, it's a peer review process.
With zero communication besides the sticker? How does that work exactly?
Again: why?
I don't understand your logic here. Are you saying that the other users should not have a voice?
Again, putting "I'm proud of this" on the story map circles us back to unfair attention. Especially if, despite their own degree of personal achievement, they believe these threads are inferior to other contributions for the same stories. They'd be left with the conundrum of distract from the better threads, or tell the world how much they enjoy these bits of their work. Not at all fair. Remove the story map highlight, and the conundrum vanishes.
Because, let me be frank, likes are not helpful in this regard and comments are rare to the point of non-existence. The average number of comments I receive is perhaps one every hundred chapters, and most of those contain only gratuitous praise.
And meanwhile I see stories that do better than that and have actual conversations. I wonder what the difference is between your comments sections and those? Perhaps answering that would be the better solution.
I already know that I can write well, mere praise does not help me: you have to go into detail about why you like what I've written.
Neither does a stock phrase accomplish that.
Also, do you ask your commenters why they think they way they do? Do you PM them? Or do you just accept what you've gotten as the best you can get?
However, criticism in comments, especially constructive criticism, is equally unhelpful, because I will take them to heart, change what I've written, and they will no longer match what future readers see... So, how to deal with this problem?
Fuck future readers. What matters is that you're happy with your own work.
Also, if your constructive criticism is leading to such drastic changes that the very future threads must change drastically as well, then odds are you did a shitty job in the first place and you wouldn't be getting a pride sticker.
What is proposed above is one answer: because the author can click through and see who left the 'super like', they can then message the person and ASK what they were so enthusiastic about
And you can do this too with Likes.
if the person didn't want to be contacted in this way they will never leave another, which is sad, but they still have the option of just leaving the anonymous 'like'.
Except the Like isn't anonymous. The notification the writer receives tells it explicitly who sent the Like. Also, the fact that it clicked Like will show up in its activity tab. The only degree of anonymity is that the thread page itself does not display the Likers.
So, you've heard my logic: I ask again: WHY?
Because you've offered only a lateral move. It's the same problem with new bells and whistles. All sorts of programming effort and processing speed being used to go nowhere.
The comment requirement at least shakes up the status quo. Maybe it increases comments, maybe it decreases Likes. Either way we got change and can regroup from their with new information.
