Ideas for Improving the Community

[Zabinzu]

Guns of Icarus (GOI) has one of the most outstanding gaming communities that I have ever had the fortunate part of being in; however, I think we as community can improve even more with two moderately simple suggestions.

Suggestion 1: Creating a list that entails community standards for treating players both in and out of matches (if there isn't one already), this list would include some tips from appropriately complimenting a player to how to properly deal with a player who is being unresponsive. If possible this list could be placed somewhere in game, and could possibly have an achievement tied to it that promotes reading and understanding it as a basis for player to player communication.

Suggestion 2: A second type of commendation (a community helper commendation) separated from game-play and more oriented towards  player to player/community, in which you give commendations to those you consider to go above and beyond to help others or make GOI a better place. For example, perhaps player xxx helped out crew zzz with a few questions they had about the game, in turn crew zzz being appreciative of the answers, give player xxx a community helper commendation. 

These are my own personal opinions on tweaks that could be made to help establish an even better community, any feedback or other ideas would be greatly appreciated as my only goal in mind is to find a way to further develop Goi's amazing community.

[Piemanlives]

Suggestion 1: http://gunsoficarus.com/community-standards/   

Suggestion 2: That would be interesting to see, giving people a thumbs up for being really helpful or for being a key member of the community instead of just being cool in game.

[Hoja Lateralus]

Yeah some time I also suggested some kind of "teacher recommendation" instead of those weird achievements which require you to lurk in practice mode with unexperience players.

[sparklerfish]

I would like it if the community standards were accessible in-game, maybe through the "community" tab.  Currently when a CA/mod/whoever links to them in chat or something, a.) you can't click or even copy and paste a link from the chat, and b.) when you do follow a link from the game, it tabs you out of the game and opens a browser.  It would be really helpful for people to be able to reference them without having to leave the game window (or maybe figure out a way to at least make it open in the Steam browser rather than a regular web browser).  I'd wager many players have never been to the website and have never read the community standards.

Ooh!  Maybe when you first get the game/create a character it should pop up the community standards and you should have to hit "agree", like those terms and conditions nobody reads either but hey at least it would give them a chance!

[Omniraptor]

Like, maybe simple one or two simple multiple choice questions about the community standards when registering? So people would at least have to pretend to read them..

[Hoja Lateralus]

I would like it if the community standards were accessible in-game, maybe through the "community" tab. (...)
Ooh!  Maybe when you first get the game/create a character it should pop up the community standards and you should have to hit "agree", like those terms and conditions nobody reads either but hey at least it would give them a chance!

Me likes. Also - make a special manual for community standards in the place where manual is (the book icon in the top right area). Then it would be like "Press the book icon and select "Community Standards"."

Like, maybe simple one or two simple multiple choice questions about the community standards when registering? So people would at least have to pretend to read them..

I think it's not necessary. Just show it before you can go into the game and force players to physically accept it (make a 'tick' and click a button).

[Wundsalz]

Regarding Suggestion 2:
I really like the Savage 2 Karma system.
After each match every player has got the option to grant Karma (withan optional comment) to a single player of the matchs. The Karma stats and history are visible on the players profile (Karma history example in Savage 2).
I think such a system to be way more meaningful than the current commendation system. Also, unlike GoI commendations, Savage 2 Karma can be used to show off! - Isn't that awesome?

[Zabinzu]

I quickly want to thank PieManlives for the link to the community standards, I was pretty sure Muse or the community had made one. I think it would be a great boon to the community if we give a little more incentive to being friendly and considerate. While these behaviors shouldn't need to be supported it doesn't hurt to add the extra incentive of a badge or some other type of reward.

@Wundsalz: While the idea of a karma system sounds interesting I think it should only be positive karma or no karma, as to avoid hurting another players feelings, or excommunicating a player. Other than that small fear, i think it might be interesting to implement such an idea.

[Hoja Lateralus]

I've sent this thread to the Devs, giving the tl;dr version:
"1. Make special recommendation system not for in-game performance but rather for community usefulness
2. Make Community Standards accesable in the game (not the link to the website). One idea is to show them somewhere around registration or when you log for the first time. Second idea is to make "Community Standards" manual in manual zone."

I was answered that it is "an interesting idea that we'll check out the best way to implement this"

[Zabinzu]

Thanks Mr. Disaster i really appreciate you doing that.

[HamsterIV]

I would be all for more ways of commending people in game. Specifically engineers who keep enemy ships alive longer than they should.