Please Read Discussion: Goods & Services Section

[Zwielicht]

As many of you are aware, we have a goods & services section.

Currently, this section is available for all members to post threads in and respond to.

This is fine for now, but as this forum's userbase continues growing, we run the risk of someone signing up, responding to those threads, and trying to scam others.

I want to reduce this risk as much as possible, although I'm struggling to know how to approach the issue.

• I don't want to do this, but I could lock it so that only Sapphire members and above can post in threads in that section. However, this killed off a certain pair of sections we're all familiar with and I don't like just locking things behind a paywall.
• I could use a special invisible usergroup that users get automatically promoted to that would allow them to respond to that section. I already have this set up (it's why people who just joined can't purchase Sapphire Status; they currently need 2 stars and 7 days on the forum to see that upgrade). I could just set it so that only the people who meet these requirements can respond to threads in that section. As time goes on, I'm planning on increasing these requirements to make it harder for someone to just game the trophy system; they'd need to actually be engaged members of the community.

If anyone has any other ideas for how we can reduce scam risks in that section, then I'd love to hear them.

 

[roydan]

At this point, maybe just an automated condition the puts them in queue for manual approval.

After the user base grows, it would be easier to use the actual data to determine a better set of conditions.

 

[Champagne]

Here are some more suggestions that we can consider:

- Only users with a certain number of posts/likes can post there.
- Probation Period (meaning posts from new members get flagged for review first).
- Risk alerts, meaning that if a user starts to post in a lot of threads or has a certain pattern, all of his posts get flagged for review.

 

[Zwielicht]

At this point, maybe just an automated condition the puts them in queue for manual approval.

After the user base grows, it would be easier to use the actual data to determine a better set of conditions.

I think using data later on is a very smart approach.

Putting responses to threads in that section into the approval queue is possible, but then we'd need to determine what would cause a post to be rejected or approved. We can always do that in conjunction with something else, like the second point in my thread. I think that would help out, although because of my focus on transparency on this forum, I'd have to write about what would get a post rejected.

Here are some more suggestions that we can consider:

- Only users with a certain number of posts/likes can post there.
- Probation Period (meaning posts from new members get flagged for review first).
- Risk alerts, meaning that if a user starts to post in a lot of threads or has a certain pattern, all of his posts get flagged for review.

1. I'm avoiding using posts or likes to prevent spam. It's actually why I'm using the star system; it's hard to brute-force your way to 2 stars just by posting on the forum. I think with all of the really easy trophies, you'd still need to get a message count of about 10k if you focused only on that. With the star system, it makes them think more and gets them to engage; I'm hoping that also shows people who may not have had the best intentions when joining that this is a nice community. I have seen people change like that on the other forum.
2. That's would work the way the second point I made does, so I do think it's a good idea.
3. That one would be an excellent idea, but not something we can implement just yet. It would work with @roydan's suggestion of using data later on, though.

 

[roydan]

but then we'd need to determine what would cause a post to be rejected or approved.

I meant to put the users in queue for manual approval for the invisible user group.

 

[Zwielicht]

I meant to put the users in queue for manual approval for the invisible user group.

Oh, it works on a cron job that automatically runs every 20 minutes as soon as they get the minimum requirements. But basically, that does work, yeah.

 

[Rem]

I It's actually why I'm using the star system; it's hard to brute-force your way to 2 stars just by posting on the forum

It actually takes about 2 or so cron runs minimum, if they want it :')

Spoiler: Cheatsheet

Diffculty	Trophy	Desc
Upon-Signup	Hey, you. You're finally awake.	You joined our forum! Welcome to Office Outlaw! Here's a trophy!
Upon-Signup	Participation Trophy	You have no trophy points. Here's a trophy!
Upon-Signup	Why No Face?	You have no avatar. Why?
Upon-Signup	Y'all got any more of them pixels?	You don't have an HD avatar.
First Post	It Begins...	You just made your first post on Office Outlaw!
First Cron	HD Avatar	You uploaded an HD avatar... Why? Whatever, here's a trophy.
First Cron	BookFace	You linked to your Facebook account.
First Cron	Sowing Discord	You linked to your Discord. Psst. If you don't get the trophy, just put an "i" in the field.
First Cron	Waiting for a telegram on Telegram	You linked to Telegram profile. Psst. If you don't get the trophy, just put an "i" in the field.
First Cron	Blue Sky, Purple Forum	You linked to your Blue Sky account. Psst. If you don't get the trophy, just put an "i" in the field.
First Cron	Let’s talk about your X…	You linked to your Twitter, I mean 'X' profile. Psst. If you don't get the trophy, just put an "i" in the field.
First Cron	Linking Up On Linkedin	You added a link to your Linkedin on your profile. Trophy time! Psst. If you don't get the trophy, just put an "i" in the field.
First Cron	SSStylish!	Lookin' sharp, cowboy!
First Cron	#LifeGoals	You've shared your goals on your profile. Psst. If you don't get the trophy, just put an "i" in the field.
First Cron	Very Soft Indeed!	You've filled out your soft skills! Psst. If you don't get the trophy, just put an "i" in the field.
First Cron	Skillz That Killz	You filled out your primary skills. Psst. If you don't get the trophy, just put an "i" in the field.
First Cron	CEO Sam	How I Got High Ranks + HOT SEO Babe. Real GF Material? Or WAM, BAAM, Thank you MAAM? When asked "What Are You Here To Do?" you put "flirt".
Free	You've Earned Your First Star	Here's a trophy for that!
Free	Trophy For A Badge	You got your first badge. Trophy time!
Free	Maximum Contact Details	You filled out all of your contact details. Wow! Psst. If you don't get the trophy, just put an "i" in all of the the field.
Second Cron	Gaining Her Ire	You either have crazy as a primary skill, insane as a soft skill, or lame in the "What Are You Here To Do?" field. "The quickest way to gain my ire is to use unnecessary and ableist language"

Technically you don't even need to wait until the 2nd cron since u already gotten 20.
If you signed up via US English or whatever you get +1 ontop.
So yeah, it really takes maximum 2 cron runs

Sorry Z

I saw something previous that tracks "online time"
maybe you can implement that in, too. although that could mean they can just idle/afk
but at least that does drag it out much longer than 1-2hrs for 2stars lol

 

[Zwielicht]

It actually takes about 2 or so cron runs minimum, if they want it :')

Spoiler: Cheatsheet

Diffculty	Trophy	Desc
Upon-Signup	Hey, you. You're finally awake.	You joined our forum! Welcome to Office Outlaw! Here's a trophy!
Upon-Signup	Participation Trophy	You have no trophy points. Here's a trophy!
Upon-Signup	Why No Face?	You have no avatar. Why?
Upon-Signup	Y'all got any more of them pixels?	You don't have an HD avatar.
First Post	It Begins...	You just made your first post on Office Outlaw!
First Cron	HD Avatar	You uploaded an HD avatar... Why? Whatever, here's a trophy.
First Cron	BookFace	You linked to your Facebook account.
First Cron	Sowing Discord	You linked to your Discord. Psst. If you don't get the trophy, just put an "i" in the field.
First Cron	Waiting for a telegram on Telegram	You linked to Telegram profile. Psst. If you don't get the trophy, just put an "i" in the field.
First Cron	Blue Sky, Purple Forum	You linked to your Blue Sky account. Psst. If you don't get the trophy, just put an "i" in the field.
First Cron	Let’s talk about your X…	You linked to your Twitter, I mean 'X' profile. Psst. If you don't get the trophy, just put an "i" in the field.
First Cron	Linking Up On Linkedin	You added a link to your Linkedin on your profile. Trophy time! Psst. If you don't get the trophy, just put an "i" in the field.
First Cron	SSStylish!	Lookin' sharp, cowboy!
First Cron	#LifeGoals	You've shared your goals on your profile. Psst. If you don't get the trophy, just put an "i" in the field.
First Cron	Very Soft Indeed!	You've filled out your soft skills! Psst. If you don't get the trophy, just put an "i" in the field.
First Cron	Skillz That Killz	You filled out your primary skills. Psst. If you don't get the trophy, just put an "i" in the field.
First Cron	CEO Sam	How I Got High Ranks + HOT SEO Babe. Real GF Material? Or WAM, BAAM, Thank you MAAM? When asked "What Are You Here To Do?" you put "flirt".
Free	You've Earned Your First Star	Here's a trophy for that!
Free	Trophy For A Badge	You got your first badge. Trophy time!
Free	Maximum Contact Details	You filled out all of your contact details. Wow! Psst. If you don't get the trophy, just put an "i" in all of the the field.
Second Cron	Gaining Her Ire	You either have crazy as a primary skill, insane as a soft skill, or lame in the "What Are You Here To Do?" field. "The quickest way to gain my ire is to use unnecessary and ableist language"

Technically you don't even need to wait until the 2nd cron since u already gotten 20.
If you signed up via US English or whatever you get +1 ontop.
So yeah, it really takes maximum 2 cron runs

Sorry Z

I saw something previous that tracks "online time"
maybe you can implement that in, too. although that could mean they can just idle/afk
but at least that does drag it out much longer than 1-2hrs for 2stars lol

No need to say sorry, that list you made is really nice!

I hope you don't mind me doing this, but I put it in the trophies site guide. I credited you for making it as well.

Feature - Trophies Explained

Trophies are feature built into our Xenforo forum. Think of them like achievements in a video game or on Steam: you unlock trophies by completing very specific actions. Trophy points are just for fun and currently don't have any utility on Office Outlaw. However, we will look into the...

officeoutlaw.com

I hope you don't mind, but I put that cheat sheet

Feature - Trophies Explained

Trophies are feature built into our Xenforo forum. Think of them like achievements in a video game or on Steam: you unlock trophies by completing very specific actions. Trophy points are just for fun and currently don't have any utility on Office Outlaw. However, we will look into the...

officeoutlaw.com

 

[Octavia]

7 days + 2 stars seems fine.
Since it actually requires users to fully setup their profile + a bit of wait time prior to being able to post there.