Add level flairs to forum, points system

[Megumin]

Description of your request or bug report:

Add ‘level’ flairs to forums. Think we need a simple ‘points’ system to be implemented per @seanblue suggestion, which does increase the scope of the ticket a bit. Flairs could be optionally turned off.

@seanblue

I think something related to number of books read would be better. Maybe it could be combined with the difficulty of the books read (from the Natively rating). So every book is worth a certain number of “points” (the rating), and on some logarithmic-ish scale that translates to badge levels (think: experience points → levels in a video game).

Trello link:

[seanblue]

Two things on this.

1. You probably want the forum badges to mean the same thing for all users. Otherwise we can’t interpret what they mean at a glance. (So no user preference.)
2. Highest level book read seems naive and uninteresting to me. I think something related to number of books read would be better. Maybe it could be combined with the difficulty of the books read (from the Natively rating). So every book is worth a certain number of “points” (the rating), and on some logarithmic-ish scale that translates to badge levels (think: experience points → levels in a video game).

I’m not sure badges are all that necessary. But if they are implemented I think something like what I just described would make sense.

[阿呆探偵]

Pages read as “experience” to a level

Level doesn’t really matter much, I doubt anyone is going “game” it by reading hundreds of graded readers and 青鳥文庫 series. Even if they did, then good for them!

Easy books tend (not a guarantee) to be short anyway.

And manga at ~1/5th is pretty standard (Tadoku)

I know characters would be even better, but the data isn’t available.

[Megumin]

I agree with all what you said.

Something like read time would be more useful, but then you would need to split it by blocks of time or create a level system based on how many read pages you submit.

Then again, I don’t consider forum badges to be that important.

[meagstudies]

Would this be something like how WK level flairs on the Wanikani forums? Or is it a badge like member, regular, “first like,” etc? Or something else?

Level badges aren’t something that I think is necessary (still not sure if I should vote for it), but the more I think about it, the more I like the idea of it. But I think if it’s implemented it should be able to be turned off (like WK level flairs can be turned off).

@seanblue

Maybe it could be combined with the difficulty of the books read (from the Natively rating). So every book is worth a certain number of “points” (the rating), and on some logarithmic-ish scale that translates to badge levels (think: experience points → levels in a video game)

I like this idea!

[hiyokko3]

Could this be a level badge that allows users to show what level they rate themselves at? So you could see at a glance if someone considered themselves as a beginner/intermediate/advanced at a glance, and consider this when interacting with them? Just an idea! But earning points might be fun too.

[brandon]

@meagstudies

Would this be something like how WK level flairs on the Wanikani forums? Or is it a badge like member, regular, “first like,” etc? Or something else?

Sorry, I meant level flairs, like WK.

@seanblue

• You probably want the forum badges to mean the same thing for all users. Otherwise we can’t interpret what they mean at a glance. (So no user preference.)
• Highest level book read seems naive and uninteresting to me. I think something related to number of books read would be better. Maybe it could be combined with the difficulty of the books read (from the Natively rating). So every book is worth a certain number of “points” (the rating), and on some logarithmic-ish scale that translates to badge levels (think: experience points → levels in a video game).

I like these ideas. Yeah I understood that highest level was pretty naive, but didn’t think of something better at the time. ‘Points’ is an fun idea and potentially could factor into a tadoku competion idea too.

@meagstudies

But I think if it’s implemented it should be able to be turned off (like WK level flairs can be turned off).

Yes, I agree.

@hiyokko3

Could this be a level badge that allows users to show what level they rate themselves at? So you could see at a glance if someone considered themselves as a beginner/intermediate/advanced at a glance, and consider this when interacting with them? Just an idea! But earning points might be fun too.

This is originally was i thinking of, but I think i’m more onboard with the points system @seanblue laid out.

Edit: Updated the topic description.

[brandon]

Only issue I see with the points system depending on levels is that difficulty levels do change… might need a big buffer on the points system somehow or not include level.

I think devauling manga pages would be critical though.

[Myria]

@hiyokko3

see at a glance if someone considered themselves as a beginner/intermediate/advanced

Maybe something like this could be implemented via Discourse titles that you could pick for yourself? (from a subset of available titles)

For badges, a points system based on pages read sounds really cool

[seanblue]

@brandon

Only issue I see with the points system depending on levels is that difficulty levels do change…

I thought about that… I see two options:

1. Base it on the book’s difficulty level at the time the user finished the book. Would probably be fine in general, but maybe problematic for temporary ratings.
2. Re-evaluate a user’s entire list of completed books every time they complete a new book to account for changes in difficulty level. More accurate, but need to be careful not to decrease someone’s badge level.