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Forum ranks poll

Posted: Sat Nov 18, 2017 1:23 pm
by R-Tape
Okay here are the suggestions, let's give it an appropriate amount of time and see if it's decisive.

Machine types:
ZX80
ZX81
Spectrum 16k
Spectrum 48k
Spectrum+ 48k
Spectrum+ 128k
Spectrum+2
Spectrum+2A
Spectrum+2B
Spectrum+3
Spectrum+3B

Elite ranks:
Harmless
Mostly Harmless
Novice
Competent
Expert
Master
Dangerous
Deadly
Elite

Game characters:
Berk
Dizzy
Microbot
Manic Miner
Dynamite Dan
Rick Dangerous
Bugaboo

Re: Forum ranks poll

Posted: Sat Nov 18, 2017 1:28 pm
by Spud
Neither, I like them as they are. :oops:

Re: Forum ranks poll

Posted: Sat Nov 18, 2017 1:41 pm
by R-Tape
Blast, I've just changed it and it's removed the first 3 votes.

Sorry please vote again. I'll post the full list of game characters too.

Re: Forum ranks poll

Posted: Sat Nov 18, 2017 1:45 pm
by R-Tape
Okay the list's are up again.

Just to reiterate: THE FIRST THREE VOTES WERE DELETED BY ACCIDENT, PLEASE VOTE AGAIN.

Re: Forum ranks poll

Posted: Sat Nov 18, 2017 2:27 pm
by Hikaru
1) And after a long and perilous journey, ZX Spectrum +2 becomes ZX Spectrum +2A, whereupon a lot of stuff stops working.
2) 3elitist5me. (These are sorta an obvious choice really).
3) It's funky and the last rank is Bugaboo. What else can you ask for? Idk who is mister Microbot though. Berk is I think from the Trap Door series? (... What, no Fred?)

Aaand so 3 it is I'd say. Or custom titles indeed, but that sounds a bit 1998 in a way when everyone wanted to be that spesshul pink unicorn.

Re: Forum ranks poll

Posted: Sat Nov 18, 2017 3:35 pm
by RMartins
The most valuable part of a rank is to implicitly or explicitly define a sorting/order/sequence.

To be useful, the sequence must be implicitly obvious for everyone, so that anyone can compare two ranks and know which is higher and which is lower.
Having too many ranks/levels can work against the "obvious" part.

Having said the above, I believe that:.

1) Is more or less common knowledge on this community.

2) might not be obvious, on all steps, for everyone

3) sequence/order is not obvious and could even be considered controversial


I would suggest to have less ranks/levels would be easier.

Using some well-known scale like unit scale: pico, nano, micro, mili, unit, kilo, mega, giga, tera
attached to some defined unit (ZX, bit, byte, gamer, dev, etc...) might work better.

Alternatively any other implicitly known scale, will work too.

Re: Forum ranks poll

Posted: Sat Nov 18, 2017 3:56 pm
by R-Tape
RMartins wrote: Sat Nov 18, 2017 3:35 pm 1) Is more or less common knowledge on this community.

2) might not be obvious, on all steps, for everyone

3) sequence/order is not obvious and could even be considered controversial
This sums up my feelings on it, so I went with machine types.

Re: Forum ranks poll

Posted: Sat Nov 18, 2017 3:59 pm
by R-Tape
Hikaru wrote: Sat Nov 18, 2017 2:27 pm Idk who is mister Microbot though. Berk is I think from the Trap Door series? (... What, no Fred?)
Microbot is from a (lesser known?) game of the same name. It came to my mind because I played it so much BITD, more than it deserved really.

Re: Forum ranks poll

Posted: Sat Nov 18, 2017 4:23 pm
by Juan F. Ramirez
Love the look of the poll!

Re: Forum ranks poll

Posted: Sat Nov 18, 2017 6:06 pm
by Stefan
In you add SAM Coupé as level above all the attribute clash crippled machines, then I’m in :lol:

Re: Forum ranks poll

Posted: Sat Nov 18, 2017 6:25 pm
by Evil Genius
R-Tape wrote: Sat Nov 18, 2017 3:56 pm
RMartins wrote: Sat Nov 18, 2017 3:35 pm
3) sequence/order is not obvious and could even be considered controversial
This sums up my feelings on it, so I went with machine types.
How many ranks can you have? If 26 then they could be in alphabetical order from Agent X through Bugaboo to Ziggy....... if you want a complete list I can try to come up with one later.

Re: Forum ranks poll

Posted: Sat Nov 18, 2017 7:10 pm
by R-Tape
Evil Genius wrote: Sat Nov 18, 2017 6:25 pm How many ranks can you have? If 26 then they could be in alphabetical order from Agent X through Bugaboo to Ziggy....... if you want a complete list I can try to come up with one later.
It looks like you can keep adding them and the manual doesn't mention a limit. I like the sound of it but I wish it arose in the suggestions thread as voting has already started. People voting 3 aren't necessarily voting for that. Let's see how this goes, if 1 or 2 gets it then game characters would be out anyway.

This is really 'arrrrd.

Re: Forum ranks poll

Posted: Sat Nov 18, 2017 7:36 pm
by Uto
I voted 1 as I think is the only one that is easily understood by everybody. Not everybody played/liked Elite and there doesn't seem to be a reason for game characters order that may be accepted by everyone.

Not sure what the Amstrad clones are doing in first list though, isn't this forum about Spectrum? :lol: (just kidding).

Re: Forum ranks poll

Posted: Sat Nov 18, 2017 9:25 pm
by Hikaru
RMartins wrote: Sat Nov 18, 2017 3:35 pm The most valuable part of a rank is to implicitly or explicitly define a sorting/order/sequence.
<...>
Not necessarily. To begin with, it's a derivative of the post count, which is visible on its own. So you might want to keep it at that, or you might regard it more as something else and less related. Like a for-fun 'achievement unlocked' sorta thing for the users, with little to no order and the ultimate title requiring an insane number of posts says you're an Advanced Lawnmover or something. :) Either way is legit, and nothing gets lost.

(Wb!)

Re: Forum ranks poll

Posted: Sat Nov 18, 2017 11:29 pm
by hitm4n
I voted game characters, i like being Berk. Globbits...

Re: Forum ranks poll

Posted: Sun Nov 19, 2017 12:02 am
by Spud
Hikaru wrote: Sat Nov 18, 2017 9:25 pm
RMartins wrote: Sat Nov 18, 2017 3:35 pm The most valuable part of a rank is to implicitly or explicitly define a sorting/order/sequence.
<...>
Not necessarily. To begin with, it's a derivative of the post count, which is visible on its own. So you might want to keep it at that, or you might regard it more as something else and less related. Like a for-fun 'achievement unlocked' sorta thing for the users, with little to no order and the ultimate title requiring an insane number of posts says you're an Advanced Lawnmover or something. :) Either way is legit, and nothing gets lost.

(Wb!)
Squij would be the ultimate rank I think. You could do famous authors. Everyone would start as Harry S. Price and work their way up.

Re: Forum ranks poll

Posted: Mon Nov 20, 2017 10:08 am
by R-Tape
Just bumping this, 18% turnout so far.

Let's see if it's looking decisive at the end of the week.

Re: Forum ranks poll

Posted: Fri Nov 24, 2017 12:39 pm
by R-Tape
Don't think we have a decisive winner yet, and we haven't reached the giddy heights of 30% turnout.

Let's give it another week.

EDIT - let's say poll closed on Friday 1st December 12.00 UTC.

Re: Forum ranks poll

Posted: Fri Nov 24, 2017 2:23 pm
by Morkin
Just voted for the game characters (though I hadn't heard of Microbot either).

Once this poll is done how about another one to define what the ranks will actually be..? :lol:

Re: Forum ranks poll

Posted: Fri Nov 24, 2017 3:00 pm
by Ast A. Moore
Morkin wrote: Fri Nov 24, 2017 2:23 pm Just voted for the game characters (though I hadn't heard of Microbot either).
That’s the problem. Many people haven’t played quite a few games, plus some of the games are not unique to the Spectrum. Even if we isolate Spectrum-specific game characters, their use as a form of ranking is arbitrary at best and whimsical at worst. Machine names are (a) unique to the platform, (b) readily recognized by the majority of the members, and (c) have a more direct correlation with ranks (the latter being a function of the number of posts).

Having said that, I still maintain that the post count and join date should be sufficient to hint at a person’s standing within the community.

Re: Forum ranks poll

Posted: Fri Nov 24, 2017 3:06 pm
by R-Tape
Ast A. Moore wrote: Fri Nov 24, 2017 3:00 pm That’s the problem. Many people haven’t played quite a few games, plus some of the games are not unique to the Spectrum. Even if we isolate Spectrum-specific game characters, their use as a form of ranking is arbitrary at best and whimsical at worst.
I don't see what's wrong with whimsical. I'm surprised people are voting for game characters when it's such a wonky list of them though!
Ast A. Moore wrote: Fri Nov 24, 2017 3:00 pm Machine names are (a) unique to the platform, (b) readily recognized by the majority of the members, and (c) have a more direct correlation with ranks (the latter being a function of the number of posts).
Agreed.
Ast A. Moore wrote: Fri Nov 24, 2017 3:00 pm sufficient to hint at a person’s standing within the community.
Nah it's just a bit of fun :)

Re: Forum ranks poll

Posted: Fri Nov 24, 2017 3:40 pm
by Spud
It is all a bit meaningless. Post count doesn't really give any indication of community standing, just that someone has probably taken more photos of their lunch and posted it in the OT section than anyone else. Hardly a useful measure.

If the game characters option wins (and I hope it does), open another thread for people's suggestions for one character, then draw them out of a hat, or do a vote to figure out which to include. I don't think the order really matters.

Having said all that the current finger in the wind list and order is fine as far as I am concerned.

Re: Forum ranks poll

Posted: Fri Nov 24, 2017 3:48 pm
by Morkin
Spud wrote: Fri Nov 24, 2017 3:40 pmPost count doesn't really give any indication of community standing, just that someone has probably taken more photos of their lunch and posted it in the OT section than anyone else. Hardly a useful measure.
:shock:

Probably a good indication of their state of malnourishment/lardiness though.. :lol:

Nah, I agree, it's just a bit of fun. I agree with the sentiment that if the games characters win it would be quite good if there were some ZX-specific ones, though I don't really have particular objections to Speccy characters that were ported to other machines. Also I didn't mind some of the WoS ones like "Elite" and stuff which was fine.

Re: Forum ranks poll

Posted: Fri Nov 24, 2017 3:55 pm
by R-Tape
Spud wrote: Fri Nov 24, 2017 3:40 pm It is all a bit meaningless.
You mean life?

I'm cool with whatever wins. Let's see where we are next Friday, it doesn't seem fair that if #3 wins then people like yourself don't get the list they voted for.

Re: Forum ranks poll

Posted: Fri Nov 24, 2017 4:45 pm
by Ast A. Moore
R-Tape wrote: Fri Nov 24, 2017 3:55 pm
Spud wrote: Fri Nov 24, 2017 3:40 pm It is all a bit meaningless.
You mean life?
No, don’t be silly. It’s 42.

Also,
Image