RE: MyGaming competitions

As a foreword, I'm not sore that I don't win in the competitions, as there are many of them and I simply don't enter a lot of them anyway.

That, and I'm typing this nearly naked, in bed.


Anyway. There was, as often is, a competition on the MyGaming forum; the competition's entry method consisted of a system that's been used a lot in the past by this forum as well as other forums of various types, and it's one that quite simply aggravates me, and I'm sure many other people.

It's in the form of a 'choose a number between x-y' raffle where you have to post with the number(s) you choose.

Why does it aggravate me? Because there is no way to see what numbers have been taken without trawling each and every single post in a thread and then taking special note of each and every single number that's been chosen by someone else.

Then you go post your numbers up and have to go through each and every single page all over again to make sure that someone that had duplicate numbers didn't edit their post with numbers you chose before you.

Then you have to go back and check again just in case someone else was doing the same and you're still choosing duplicate numbers.


This is a system that is not only counter-intuitive, but also favours the early posters for the thread, as they have 'the least work' to do for their entries.

Now, don't get me wrong, I appreciate free competitions as much as the next guy and I, in that way, have no right to complain. However, I find it discouraging to take part in competitions at all when the bulk of them operate on such a basis, and as such may often not even look at notifications for competitions that work on a different system where, as an example, creativity and peer review gains merit for entries, instead.


As such, I'd like to suggest, as I did in a pm I sent to Tinman (didn't see a 'read' receipt, brah), that someone with the required know-how set up a PHP module to use with the forums that allows for selecting numbers for associated competitions' raffles based on username. As an added bonus, the competition admins should be able to determine who can and cannot enter based on previous competition winnings and/or minimum post requirements or the like.

This way, not only will there not be over 9000 kids that don't read the competition terms of entry, but everyone can easily and effectively choose their numbers for their entries without having to suffer immense frustration and what could end up hours of trying to get their entries in.



That and,
please don't bother with supposed 'get extra entries' drives, they don't increase users' chances and unless you implement a sane number choosing system, only adds to confusion and frustration.

I'd have gone to promote MyGaming if asked without there being a competition behind it, but really, if you have 100 people entering a competition with 1 entry each, each person has a 1 in 100 chance of winning. If you now tell them they can get an extra 4 entries by doing this, that and the other thing, but the total amount of possible entries is expanded to 500, and 100 people enter, they each still have an effective 1 in 100 chance of winning anyway, you just got them to do something they might've done for you anyway had you simply asked.

/rant

Wow, All that text complaining about something as silly as the way the comps are done.

If you dont like it, why not do the php work yourself? Whats that you dont know how? Than stfu and stop complaining about the way free stuff is given out...

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Originally Posted by Blaze786

Wow, All that text complaining about something as silly as the way the comps are done.

If you dont like it, why not do the php work yourself? Whats that you dont know how? Than stfu and stop complaining about the way free stuff is given out...

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Whoa, that's quite hostile, man. It was just a suggestion dude, nothing wrong with that. I did not really see all that as a complaint. He makes some valid points as well. There are always ways to improve something, even if it's free, and a good way to do that is to have suggestions by the community.

Apart from that, this guys has done more for the community already than some of the guys that come here with their one liners.

For example, instead of having a list of numbers to draw from, why not have the participants names on a bunch of cards and draw that instead? Like the last competition, let's say, for the sake of simplicity, everyone got 5 entries. Then you just have 5 cards for each person. So instead of choosing numbers, you just sign up and a card with your name gets drawn?

nanonyous, not sure what you are moaning about, almost every single comp has a volunteer that specifically compiles a list of numbers taken etc. :wtf:

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Originally Posted by Blaze786

If you dont like it, why not do the php work yourself? Whats that you dont know how? Than stfu and stop complaining ...

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First I was like "Dude, chill, he's just voicing his opinion and wants a better system"

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Originally Posted by Blaze786

about the way free stuff is given out...

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But then I was like "actually you're right. We're getting free stuff ... for free. The very least we can do is put in a bit of effort to make sure our numbers are correct. Hell, we don't even buy a raffle ticket OR pay for delivery."

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Originally Posted by Voicy

First I was like "Dude, chill, he's just voicing his opinion and wants a better system"



But then I was like "actually you're right. We're getting free stuff ... for free. The very least we can do is put in a bit of effort to make sure our numbers are correct. Hell, we don't even buy a raffle ticket OR pay for delivery."

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Or is there's a better way of making it easier for everyone, then suggest it.

Just because the air we breathe is free, doesn't mean we don't have to keep it clean.

Nanymous raises good points. Unfortunately our time here is filled with other things, and I wouldn't know how to create a PHP module.

How about a system whereby people simply post once in a competition thread. Their post will count as their entry? I admit the numbers thing does get a bit crazy.

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Originally Posted by to0kenZA

Or is there's a better way of making it easier for everyone, then suggest it.

Just because the air we breathe is free, doesn't mean we don't have to keep it clean.

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Suggestions are like poepholes, everyone has one.

Also there are ways of voicing suggestions, without the ranting.

The stuff is free, if you want an easier way of getting said free stuff, do something.

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Originally Posted by Tinman

Nanymous raises good points. Unfortunately our time here is filleds with other things, and I wouldn't know how create a PHP module.

How about a system whereby people simply post once in a competition thread. Their post will count as their entry? I admit the numbers thing does get a bit crazy.

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See Blaze, now what was so wrong about that?

No offence towards you okes, but this is exactly the kind of elitist stench that makes myBB such a dank place and why I would much rather prefer this community. Yes, everyone has an opinion so what's wrong with that?

Sure it's free stuff, but did you see how much effort the organizers had to do last time, with all those freakin' numbers? It must have been a ball ache of note.

As I mentioned, someone keeps a log of the numbers that have been taken.........I always check that first before picking a number. :rolleyes:

Why not reserve the 2nd post of the thread for the numbers thing, instead of updating it randomly through the thread. at least it saves you having to wade through looking for the last update. Other than that, the main job is still of the mods who have to allocate the numbers to the correct person and make sure he/she had the number 1st.

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Originally Posted by DenSweeP

Why not reserve the 2nd post of the thread for the numbers thing, instead of updating it randomly through the thread. at least it saves you having to wade through looking for the last update. Other than that, the main job is still of the mods who have to allocate the numbers to the correct person and make sure he/she had the number 1st.

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Now thats a great and easy to implement Idea!!! :D

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Originally Posted by Blaze786

Suggestions are like poepholes, everyone has one.

Also there are ways of voicing suggestions, without the ranting.

The stuff is free, if you want an easier way of getting said free stuff, do something.

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Dude he wasn't ranting. I think it's the best complaint I've ever seen since he goes through the effort of fully describing his problem and a suggested solution. I'm inclined to agree with him, though as TM said, not enough time, so until then, just read the posts of the people who go through the effort of tallying it up for you.

Since each post has its own number (blue bar, right-hand side), why not use that as the poster's entry number? The mod would still have to police the thread though; it would be incredibly difficult for some individuals to post only once in any given thread.

Oh ya, the 'top' button doesn't work.

Juice's suggestion would work provided, as he said, people could learn to only post once. No "sry bra ur not allowd 2 enter" posts by other users.

Grimspoon, the issue is that those mods or volunteers still have to wade through the posts 'frequently' to weed out the posts that don't belong and tally up what could become insane amounts of numbers. Those people also have lives they'd like to get on with; having to sit there wasting their time on something convoluted can only serve to tire them out.

DenSweep, as with above, it still causes an issue for those trying to get their entries in in that they have to meticulously pick through the invalid entries to find people that have already tried posting 'their' numbers, then post any numbers that they think aren't taken yet, then wait on the mod or volunteer to see which of their numbers are now valid, then go and try to get the other numbers picked. If it were only one number per person, that would keep things significantly more simple, but still make it more frustrating than it needs to be.


And Blaze, you might have noticed (guessing you didn't) that I suggested someone make a PHP module, not the guys running MyGaming's site/forums. This forum looks to be using phpBB v3, so it's open to allowing external PHP modules of the sort. If this is a community driven forum, there should be a few dozen, if not hundreds of users, that have the knowledge required that could set it up in minutes; just because it's easy doesn't mean that everyone is able or inclined to learn how to do it, but at the same time doesn't mean there aren't people that already know how to.

Think about it. 10-30min creating the module, that allows for all future competitions, whether free or not, to be entered in an efficient, sane manner by every contestant, and to be moderated and checked by its administrators in a matter of minutes or even simply seconds, vs one that wastes what could amount to hours of every contestant's time, as well as that of the competition administrators.

My post served to demonstrate potential frustration regarding the competitions. Your post served to demonstrate a narrow minded opinion that was typed before taking into consideration the factors that made up the post you were replying to.

*edit* Also to the competition admins, the 'please don't bother with promotion drives for entries' remark is based on that you could just as easily have a competition entry requirement involve the posting of a facebook status pointing to the thread or similar.

Gigabyte, for their 'fans' competition, would have a series of pictures on which users would post a +1 for their entry. What this does is it lets all their friends know that they've commented on "someone's" photo, which, if someone clicks on the link to go see what it's about, can also see what group it's a part of and thus might start looking at more information regarding the group and/or competitions/associated content.

It does pose the problem that many people would like to keep their superhero identities hidden, so they don't want to associate their forum name with their real name, which would mean the competitions would need to be run solely on Facebook or a similar platform, with the forum thread simply directing to the discussion for the competition on Facebook, instead.

You get your publicity, users get their entries for free stuff, everything is immediately remarkably more simple for all those involved, except those that don't want Facebook profiles.

The only catch is that, because of a lack of facebook name/forum name linking, you can't have minimum post requirements, so the PHP module on the forums would still work better.

Nanonyous between myself and Toxin we manage to keep the comps rolling properly so that people don't go and choose duplicate numbers with lists in which we create. We also add the comp rules for that specific comp at the bottom of the list, in bold and highlighted for everyone to see. No one should have any excuse to say that they did not see the comp rules as we add them to the list of competition entries.

We do try and avoid duplicate entries, but what I like to do is inform those that have taken duplicates to please change their numbers, just to make it fair for them and this way they also get notified about their numbers being taken already and can quickly come in and change it.

And I appreciate the effort you guys are putting in for everyone, but fact remains that people simply do not read competition rules, because it's too much effort for them. Additionally, as I've said several times now, it's all good and well that you guys make lists of valid and invalid entries and chosen numbers, but when there are already several hundred numbers chosen and a few dozen people with multiple numbers that were already taken, that's several dozen people that will "quickly come back to change their numbers", which means that there is a very good chance there will still be a bunch of those people editing their posts choosing duplicate numbers, and you will still have to go review all the entries to see who chose what numbers first in their post edits and who still has invalid picks.


In other words, multiple people have their time wasted, both entrants and competition admins, and I don't doubt that at least one of those people that often enters competitions and often has their time wasted has the knowledge required to make a PHP module for the competitions.

Ok well as for the rules, if people find that it's too much effort to read them and follow them, well thats at their own discretion however they will not be entered into the competitions. If people don't like that, well then that is just too bad, it's not our problem that they are just too lazy to read and follow the procedures that have been put in place to allow fair entries to those who actually make valid contributions to the site. I honestly do not feel sorry for them, that's just their own bad for not following the same rules as what everyone else has since the start of the site 2 years ago.

You just said the same thing three times in one paragraph. :D

And I was implying that it's the problem of other entrants and that it causes extra trouble for the competition administrators, especially when having to weed out post-spammers that don't read rules such as this past competition's of needing 40 posts in 2010, not 40 posts in total for their entry to magically become valid.

I'll say it again; I don't expect MyGaming staff or admins/mods to make the PHP module, I'm hoping that a community member with the required knowledge would take it upon themselves to.

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Originally Posted by nanonyous

You just said the same thing three times in one paragraph. :D

And I was implying that it's the problem of other entrants and that it causes extra trouble for the competition administrators, especially when having to weed out post-spammers that don't read rules such as this past competition's of needing 40 posts in 2010, not 40 posts in total for their entry to magically become valid.

I'll say it again; I don't expect MyGaming staff or admins/mods to make the PHP module, I'm hoping that a community member with the required knowledge would take it upon themselves to.

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Well since its your idea and you are a community member and the one fighting so hard for this, why dont you do it then. You seem to be knowledgeable enough to do this.

Okay, then how about this. I'm sure you don't like crime, so since you don't like it, why don't you go out and become a police officer.
No?
Don't want to?
Don't have the balls to become one?

Then stop being a hypocrtical doos. Just because someone has an idea that they know is feasible that can better a situation for everyone and that they have a reasonable idea of what is involved in achieving it does not mean they have the knowledge or skills required to make it so.


I am certain you have played games and thought "gee, this part sucks, they could have made it so much better if they just did this, that and the other thing", but fact is that you probably don't have the skills required to make that so, and yet you've no problem with saying that something is wrong with that part of that game.

You're about as bad as Blaze.

nanonyous, keep it clean please buddy. Play the ball, not the man. Also, it's not very polite to go around calling a girl a doos.

As for fighting crime, we exercise our rights to vote in competent people who roll out effective policing and we pay taxes to ensure it gets done.

The difference here is you don't pay gaming tax to receive prizes.

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Originally Posted by nanonyous

Okay, then how about this. I'm sure you don't like crime, so since you don't like it, why don't you go out and become a police officer.
No?
Don't want to?
Don't have the balls to become one?

Then stop being a hypocrtical doos. Just because someone has an idea that they know is feasible that can better a situation for everyone and that they have a reasonable idea of what is involved in achieving it does not mean they have the knowledge or skills required to make it so.


I am certain you have played games and thought "gee, this part sucks, they could have made it so much better if they just did this, that and the other thing", but fact is that you probably don't have the skills required to make that so, and yet you've no problem with saying that something is wrong with that part of that game.

You're about as bad as Blaze.

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I in no way meant to sound like an ass. i was simply suggesting that since you suggested it and know what would be involved in creating that App that you could maybe do it.....
BTW there is no need to resort to name calling since my post was derogatory in NO WAY!

I give up.

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Originally Posted by nanonyous

I give up.

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All you had to say is Wenz i dont know how to do it either.... now is that so hard?

Ok, this discussion is becoming really nasty now. Wtf people? Can't you discuss something in a civilised manner, or at least without the name calling?

No, that's not why I'm giving up on this.

Explaining 'why I'm giving up' wouldn't be worth my time, either.
*edit* And Voicy, the internet does not know sex, age or race until someone applies those attributes to a name, assuming a name is even attributable to any one person. Whether the person I am calling a doos is female or not does not matter to me, because I am calling them a doos on merit of their behaviour or response to a topic, and at this point I feel both Wenzdayz and Blaze are both dooses.

I don't consider it name calling so much as speaking my mind, and if speaking my mind isn't allowed here without being called a doos without using the single word, but being disallowed from responding to such hypocrtical behaviour without seeming 'nasty', then there is no point in my trying.


A few people here got it, most didn't. I'm wasting my time.

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Originally Posted by nanonyous

No, that's not why I'm giving up on this.

Explaining 'why I'm giving up' wouldn't be worth my time, either.

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nanonyous you have to remember this is a forum where ppl discuss things and ppl have varying opinions. just because other ppl dont like your idea or do not agree entirely with you does not make you right. Also there is no need to get upset. you have stated your point and so have others. if someone takes up your suggestion and does it good on them in if no one does what does it matter?

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Originally Posted by nanonyous

No, that's not why I'm giving up on this.

Explaining 'why I'm giving up' wouldn't be worth my time, either.
*edit* And Voicy, the internet does not know sex, age or race until someone applies those attributes to a name, assuming a name is even attributable to any one person. Whether the person I am calling a doos is female or not does not matter to me, because I am calling them a doos on merit of their behaviour or response to a topic, and at this point I feel both Wenzdayz and Blaze are both dooses.

I don't consider it name calling so much as speaking my mind, and if speaking my mind isn't allowed here without being called a doos without using the single word, but being disallowed from responding to such hypocrtical behaviour without seeming 'nasty', then there is no point in my trying.


A few people here got it, most didn't. I'm wasting my time.

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I'm sorry that you feel that way bru, but you made your suggestion and it's still the decision for the admins to make, so just leave it at that and leave this discussion in peace. I don't think it needed to turn to namecalling, or if you don't want to call it that, calling someone, especially a girl, a doos.

I don't see anything you can "give up" on anyway. As I said, you made your suggestion, now just move along.

You have no idea what you're saying, do you? Read through the entire thread, carefully.

I reiterated the same points multiple times, and somehow people just don't seem to get it.

Let me illustrate for you for the umpteenth time.


You have a community center and a meeting is being held. Joe the baker feels that the children aren't reading enough and suggests that a library is being built. Some twat stands up and says "WELL JOE CAN YOU BUILD? NO? THEN STFU AND GTFO". That's what Blaze did. Then Joe keeps trying to explain there must be someone that can do it, and that that's what the community center is about, finding people that can help to improve the community. Then some other guy (or woman) stands up and says exactly what the other guy said, just in a 'nice' manner that, heaven forbid Joe should get upset he's having to repeat himself, he will look like the ass for.

I enjoy having to repeat myself over and over again about as much as the next guy. I've brought up what I feel is something the community could solve fairly easily provided anyone with the required knowledge and skills caught wind of it and decided to take it upon themselves to. Beyond that, I'm really simply wasting my time, and even though I know this, I continue wasting my time, because I have to be Joe that wants that library for the kids, not for the two people that is telling him to gtfo unless he's going to do it himself.

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Originally Posted by nanonyous

You have no idea what you're saying, do you? Read through the entire thread, carefully.

I reiterated the same points multiple times, and somehow people just don't seem to get it.

Let me illustrate for you for the umpteenth time.


You have a community center and a meeting is being held. Joe the baker feels that the children aren't reading enough and suggests that a library is being built. Some twat stands up and says "WELL JOE CAN YOU BUILD? NO? THEN STFU AND GTFO". That's what Blaze did. Then Joe keeps trying to explain there must be someone that can do it, and that that's what the community center is about, finding people that can help to improve the community. Then some other guy (or woman) stands up and says exactly what the other guy said, just in a 'nice' manner that, heaven forbid Joe should get upset he's having to repeat himself, he will look like the ass for.

I enjoy having to repeat myself over and over again about as much as the next guy. I've brought up what I feel is something the community could solve fairly easily provided anyone with the required knowledge and skills caught wind of it and decided to take it upon themselves to. Beyond that, I'm really simply wasting my time, and even though I know this, I continue wasting my time, because I have to be Joe that wants that library for the kids, not for the two people that is telling him to gtfo unless he's going to do it himself.

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Dude, I know how it feels when your ideas are ignored, but some people are just assholes like that. All you can do from there is just leave it. There is no point in trying to debate it further. It's not going anywhere and all you're doing is getting off with the community on the wrong foot.

Just relax dude, it's over.

I have a question? Mr nanonyous has been strangely absent prior to this delightful rant and the post in the 31 game giveaway thread since april last year. So why are we debating the impact a largely inactive user has on the forum?

@ Mr nanonyous: If you want your opinions to matter and your voice to be heard my advice is to be active on this forum, all the user who have responded to your rant are active users, they are community members who are here often enough to build relationships not just with their fellow forumites but with the sigh mods and admins.

So please excuse us for ignoring your rant as at this moment your say, due largely to ur inactivity, doesn't really matter to the users of this forum. And while it might mean something to the admins or mods to the rest of us, to the community, you are a spec of dust until such time as you become a known quantity.

That is all.

Because I had to renovate a 30 year old house that saw virtually no care around April to August of 2010, and am now renovating a 160 year old house, so I have little enough time for other things as it is. I get emails from MyGaming every once in a while and I read its articles when I happen across them again. Honestly, you have no right nor place to be deterministic over my site usage habits as you know nothing about me or what I have been doing.

Ek is nogal honger

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Originally Posted by nanonyous

Because I had to renovate a 30 year old house that saw virtually no care around April to August of 2010, and am now renovating a 160 year old house, so I have little enough time for other things as it is. I get emails from MyGaming every once in a while and I read its articles when I happen across them again. Honestly, you have no right nor place to be deterministic over my site usage habits as you know nothing about me or what I have been doing.

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Ok dude. Seriously, I've tried being friendly but I need to ask you- do you just like trolling or do you enjoy being like this towards people?

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Originally Posted by Maplassie

Ek is nogal honger

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Ek het nounet breakfast gehad! :D

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Originally Posted by nanonyous

Because I had to renovate a 30 year old house that saw virtually no care around April to August of 2010, and am now renovating a 160 year old house, so I have little enough time for other things as it is. I get emails from MyGaming every once in a while and I read its articles when I happen across them again. Honestly, you have no right nor place to be deterministic over my site usage habits as you know nothing about me or what I have been doing.

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You assumption that telling me why u where inactive me make even a shred of difference in my opinion is cute but lamentable.
So as you appear to be a little slow or possible one of those suffering from that modern day evil, what i like to call the "its my right" bunch, here is it in the form of a question.

Why should we, the active community, the ones who participate, who discuss, who flame people for being morons, care about ur opinion if you, for whatever reason be in herpes or children, can't be bothered to be a active member of this community?

In the real world u may have human rights but on a forum, like this one, the only rights u have are the ones u earn by earning the respect, or in my case loathing, of your fellow formites.

So u get an email from mygaming, cool, lucky you, if u dont want it being sent to you add it to the spam folder or something.

if it's so hard to pick the correct number why have i never selected the wrong one ?

simple :

i look for the list being updated, go to a random number generator, generate few numbers and then

now try to keep up

1) check list
2) double check all posts after the list

post my entry.

wow... now that was higher grade :rolleyes:

exception: if the list is not preset, i take 5 odd minutes of my time and check all the posts uptoo the point i want to post against my numbers and then post.

wow... now that was higher grade :rolleyes:

Why should I, who was so busy and barely able to do my work to make a living, have to justify myself to you?

If you don't like my idea, that's your right. If you believe that I, being the one that came up with the idea, should be the one to implement it, then I am going to say this now; you are an idiot.

tooken, this is who I am. I am confrontational when people start being rude to me off the bat, the way Blaze was. I don't take thinly veiled sarcasm or effectively rude statements made to me in my stride, either; if people have an issue with what I'm saying I prefer they say it to my face, not in a "I'm actually a nice person, so I'm going to try and say this in a way that won't sound like I'm really just being rude to you" manner, the way I feel Wenzdayz did.

If people don't like who I am or how I communicate, that is entirely their choice and I don't care nor will I make any attempt to make them like me; I don't need a hundred and one friends I don't actually have anything in common with that only like me because I'm acting the way they want me to, and in the same way, I don't need an entire forum's 'community' to come and tell me that because I have few posts, that I am 'not an active member'.


Omega, post counts aren't everything; having something to say about absolutely everything does not make you a valuable community member, it only makes you a frequent poster. Not everyone should have to go out of their way to be some kind of selfless contributer in every way, shape and form imaginable; to expect that of people is pathetic and self-righteous.

Your behaviour is akin to the guy on his high horse coming into a party and saying "Oh yeah, all those drinks and snacks you're having? I paid for those. I'm the only reason this party is successful. All of you should try and be more like me and the other guys that contributed so much."

Expecting that of people at that party that cannot afford to is low. If you don't want them there, you don't invite them, simple. This is a public forum, and as such, it is the moderators and administrators' discretion as to whether I am able to voice my opinions, suggestions, concerns or rants or not, not yours. If you want to ignore me because I didn't contribute as much as you would have liked to the snacks and drinks at the party, then you should stay away from me, not the other way around.

Besides that, at what point did I every say I don't want to receive those mails? If anything I'd like to receive more mails as I am often too sidetracked with other things to think to go and check all the latest articles on any given website; as it stands I barely remember to go check MyBroadband every week to see what news I might've missed, so more mails would actually be a good thing.

I suggest you get off your high horse for a change and think at the level of those 'commoners' you so loathe.

Alright, enough. As I said, nanymous made a proactive suggestion, there is really no need for this bickering. The PHP thing has various potential problems down the line (forums updates etc), and I'd prefer to keep things simple.

I think the best thing to do will be to discard the number system, and instead just use usernames as entries. So, you simply post in a competition thread, and if your entry is valid, your name is added to a list. At the end, each name is assigned a number, and numbers are randomely chosen to allocate winners.

The end.