"I Want More of This" Button For Readers

A user may like a story because they like it, or because they want more, it can be hard to tell which.

I would like to see a plus icon added as a way for users to say "More of this thread"

I would like it if you didn't need an account to use this feature. I understand though that might be impossible due to spam and other issues.

 

This too is a good idea.

 

Agree with this

 

I think that "Likes" should convey kind of the same message.

And would readers really push another button if they don't even consider pushing the existing one?

 

Most authors here are always looking for more feedback.

Most readers don't care to give much, if any.

While I understand where this is coming from, I'm not convinced that more bells and whistles will really serve a constructive purpose.

I suppose the option doesn't hurt me, though. *shrugs*

... Still seems like so much clutter.

 

90% no, 10% yes, that makes it worth it
also
Most readers don't make an account, but some do and those who do sometimes use the like system as "More" and sometimes "Like". As an author, I can't read their mind. Some stories even use likes on specific threads as a poll system. This shows a need albeit not great for a system like this.

I am anti-clutter but there is a user need, a single icon with a mouse over like the "like" button is all I think is needed.


You could also argue commenting serves this purpose but I think a simple point system would better serve the users needs

 

On some stories there are extremely well-written chapters that people like but that doesn't necessarily mean that people want them to keep going down that thread. They just like that specific chapter. Its sort of the same thing where facebook made it so that you could like things in different ways in order to more accurately convey your feelings on it.

 

So you'd rather a stock phrase with points over a customized message of no statistical value?

Personally, if I were to click that button, the next thing I'm doing is comment and clarify what I like about the thread and what about it I want perpetuated. But once that's accompished, the button becomes redundant and serves no value to me personally, so I'd instead just leave the comment and not push the button. Thus, the button's only true accomplishment is that it made me want to comment. And while I'm big on making more people comment more often, I'd rather accomplish that in a simple manner that doesn't ultimately amount to wasted programming efforts.

 

All I was suggesting was a little Plus icon with a count attached to it, very similar to likes. How about this, let the author turn the option for this on or off on certain chapters, just default it to off.

As for the comments, most people don't leave comments. I think they find it embarrassing and it outs them or something. It is great that you want to leave comments, but most people don't, I think this would help most people.

 

When you're going to reply to someone, it helps to read whole posts. In fact, whole sentences would be an adequate substitution. The reason for the comment is to clarify what the reader wants more of. And it will prove necessary. Let's look at two examples:

Suppose someone clicks "I want more of this" on a thread involving a blowjob with anal play that ends just before a climax. Does "I want more of this" mean it wants the climax, it wants the warm-up act to end and move on to vaginal sex, or it wants more anal play? The writer can't answer this in any capacity - your admission. As such, it's going to either write whatever it wants, or ask for clarification. In the former case, let's say for argument's sake that it chose vaginal sex, but the clicker wanted anal play. Since it wanted it so much it clicked a button, then logically the clicker is going to reach out to the writer to request the anal play. In both cases, it's a comment.

Suppose someone clicks "I want more of this" on a thread culminating in the protagonist finding love, and this happens to be the only thread in the story in which this happens. Does "I want more of this" mean it wants this pairing to continue, that it wants more storylines leading to love, or that it wants more emotional connections between the characters throughout the story and site? Once again, only the clicker can answer this, leaving the writers no idea what to do and leading to the same outcome as before: a comment.

Like, Favorite, Bookmark, I want more of this. Without a comment, they're all "PLEASE CHECK HIS WATCH"* and nothing more.
*If you get this reference, you are awesome.

 

Ah, yes, but here's my peculiar argument FOR the "I Want More Of This" button: It’s a gateway drug.

Say it's implemented, people press it: and they don't get what they wanted...

Now they're annoyed, or disappointed: either way the emotional turbulence demands redress. How can they get it?

They, as you've said, HAVE TO COMMENT!

Nothing I've seen tried so far has yielded significant comments except from a small dedicated core of extroverts: But I think THIS might do the trick!

It only takes a few hard knocks to break down that wall of reticence to comment more often, anything that hits that wall a little harder and makes people break down the barriers Themselves is all to the good in my book!

 

There's that vibe again. The one that says no one is reading posts by others. Deliver this scenario to the next step, and you're right back to my first post of the topic:

Users figure out they have to comment to get what they want and this behavior becomes normal. Once it's normal, the value of the button is gone - clicking it becomes redundant, and there's no additional benefit in pressing it. As a result, the whole thing becomes unnecessary and, for the benefit of the site's processing speed, should be removed.

The proposition may yield favorable results, but all it amounts to is a waste of effort and programming. If we're going to implement a site-wide feature, the endgame it delivers should not include its own termination.

 

You obviously have not thought this through fully Katiou...

Point One: New Users.
Sure, if universal comments become a thing it might work the way you expect, but: logic failure, what about NEW users? Every time we get a new person signed up, that process of breaking down the reticence for posting comments must begin again for that user, so the button continues to serve that purpose forever.

Point Two: Lucky Strike.
Sometimes, (I'm not sure how often, but ocasionaly,) the writer will just GUESS what the majority of the people hitting that 'I want more' button wanted, and write accordingly. This chance Increases with certain prepared statements on the writers' parts: "I will continue the branches with the most 'I Want More Of This' votes," and so forth... This makes the comments unnessecary for that chapter.

Point Three: Okay, You Don't Like It...
Fine you're not a fan of the idea: here's what I DON'T see, constructive criticism! You can think of all the arguments against implementation you want, but I don't see you coming up with a better idea, do I? Instead of being an obstacle to progress let's hear what you think would do the same job with existing features or a different/improved version of this one.

 

Funny. I was thinking the same about you.

Except the hesitation only exists because there's no precedent. Once the comments begin to pile up, the precedent is set, and thus the only qualm is whether or not they believe their preference is any good.

Well, if we look at it purely from the perspective of possible thread additions, your math is obscenely wrong. The probability for individual threads is dependent on the contents of each thread, but typically there's three or four readily apparent options noted within the thread plus one or two options in the details and background that don't click in the writer's head immediately, so let's estimate that at 20%. With that established, we then calculate the probability of 35% or more of all threads resulting in this lightning strike - which, in my opinion, would be a high enough percentage to perpetuate the idea comments aren't essential. Under these circumstances, the chance of lightning striking 35% of CHYOA threads is less than 1%. You'd be correct if our site was binary, in which case the odds are very nearly 100%, but the site simply isn't that restrictive. And even if it was, writing.com proves it's extremely easy to get around such restrictions.

On top of that, I'd like to remind you we've looked at this from the perspective of possibilities; that is to say, we've looked at it under the assumption that every thread receives exactly one (1) "I Want More of This" vote. When we consider it with the far more likely possibility that threads receive more than one vote each, we now have to consider the probability that each click represents a continuation of the same idea - using my prior examples as a base, this means the probability that every "I Want More of This" for the first example was a request for anal play (for argument's sake). As the votes pile up, the probability of that unanimity rapidly approaches 0%. For the proof, go back to my 20% chance per thread estimate: at 2 votes, the chance of concurrence is 20%; at 3, 4%; at 4, 0.8%. Even if we assume 50% per thread - the highest possible odds - the respective odds of identical votes are 50%, 25%, and 12.5%. Unless all the votes are unanimous, the thread cannot be considered a lightning strike; otherwise, someone didn't get what they wanted more of and has to clarify.

Both of these conclusions combined, the probability of a writer getting lucky enough to never need someone to clarify after the fact is virtually 0%. And this is before we consider the possibility that they got what they wanted, but not how they wanted it, which would also lead to a comment.

As such, all you've presented, at most, is a delay to my conclusion, not an actual turnaround - and even then, it'd likely be about a 30 second delay at the longest. A delay that was fully calculated from the very beginning, in turn meaning we circle back to the endgame of "I Want More of This" becoming targeted for removal.

See above to my simplistic examples of all too common concepts that demonstrate how this means comments become even more essential under such action. In fact, just hours ago, you were applauding this idea and those examples for the fact that they demand an accompanying comment. Why the sudden 180?

Well, I'd love to, and actually have said how to get more comments elsewhere on the forum several times. I'm also not above reposting it, complete with an update based around the idea of "I Want More of This" to demonstrate such a method that does not achieve self-termination; although, I'd really rather not adjust it around this reason since I'm of the opinion people don't always know what they want, and that the better long-term strategy is to promote original thought while this only promotes pandering. However, the last time I made a suggestion, you sent me a PM telling me to be quiet. So which is it, Nemo? Do you want my suggestions, or my silence?

 

I think we can all agree to disagree then, thank you all for your feedback and insights.