570 réponses à ce sujet

[Twitchmonkey]

Mad Method wrote...

What I was endorsing was getting rid of the referrer system altogether, though the image trick is a step up from having to link spam and hope for clicks.

I'd prefer the referral system to be replaced with something better, but removing it with no replacement, as this essentially does, you remove just about all of the active aspect of this competition.

[Mad Method]

This active aspect is bad though.

Modifié par Mad Method, 31 mars 2010 - 03:54 .

[Twitchmonkey]

Mad Method wrote...

This active aspect is bad though.

But it's active. Activity is good. It occupies the mind and the hands. Like looting.

[cynicalsaint1]

Mad Method wrote...

Cynicalsaint's stance that this trick helps simplify things is a very valid point. However, the point that "it's not really unfair because anyone can do it" is a problem point. Stanley Woo has disapproved of the practice, but people are still going around doing it and benefiting from it. People trying to toe the line won't do this and are more easily left behind, while the others rack up points.

This is true. Its a sticky situation no matter how you cut it, and this referral system is always going to end up being unfair to someone. At least with the twitter thing everyone has an equal chance to respond and such.

But what can be done at the end of the day? This sort of system is always going to favor agressive and underhanded behavior, and while Bioware can control it within their own forums, the problem is they can't mediate this sort of thing everywhere. These forums are far from the only ones that use this particular BB code scheme.

[Flagg]

*shifts eyes to the left*



*shifts eyes to the right*



Uhhh...yeah...it's cheating! D:







(But really)



I can see how it'd be considered cheating, but I can ALSO see how it's quite harmless in terms of spam. It's actually less spam-ish because it's completely out of the way (besides that silly little "pink triangle" "green circle" and "blue box" image. Which, btw, where did that originate from anyhow?).



Buttt I figure I'll put it up for now. Don't worry about me spamming or anything though. What I say will contribute to the discussion fo sho! ^^

[Twitchmonkey]

I'm still not sure about all this, but I suppose I can try and cover all the bases.

[TrueWindoze]

fml

[Rive Caedo]

The interesting thing is that - at least in my browser - you pass a point of no return when you do it. I can't see it in my "Edit Signature" box anymore so I can't remove it.

[Twitchmonkey]

Rive Caedo wrote...

The interesting thing is that - at least in my browser - you pass a point of no return when you do it. I can't see it in my "Edit Signature" box anymore so I can't remove it.

I noticed that as well. It's like a pact with the devil.

[Mad Method]

If it's off topic, then it's well suited to the off topic forum.

[Varenus Luckmann]

That's.. that's actually awesome! I've learned something new today.

Thank you.

[Emperor Mars]

I think I will see what Bioware says before adding this to my own signature.



True its sneaky but it doesnt seem to harm anything..
[link removedd]
an interesting trick..but is it right?

Modifié par Stanley Woo, 01 avril 2010 - 04:23 .

[Stanley Woo]

Personally, I think it's a little sketchy, since you're essentially exploiting the bbCode of the forums to do it.



The threads were closed not because they were dedicated to the image tag exploit, but because there were already threads (three of them) dedicated to the link exchange and getting people more hits. Creating more threads was simply spam.



Most image tag exploit posts are edited and links are removed because they are similarly spamming the thread in which they are posted, usually in non-link exchange threads. Because the image tag exploit is a little sketchy, I'm a little stricter in when and where people can post them. Like regular links, I have little to no problem with people posting links to their signature blocks or in threads specifically designed to exchange links. Throwing the links around willy-nilly is what gets folks in trouble.



If anyone has any additional questions or concerns regarding our community or this message, please let me know. Thank you.

[jeffreykm]

I for one have the image tag in my signature, as that is the only way of massing tokens for us small-folk. Someone on this board has to have the power to put an image tag just like that on their well-visited blog, or news site, or Digg's front page, or anywhere heavily trafficked--and can amass tokens just the same. That seems a little unfair, only because then the runners of major websites will have enough tokens to win stuff. If that was BioWare's intent, then thats OK, but thats not what I gathered from reading the rules and contest regulations.

So, in short, I do it to have a fighting chance, as I can only believe so many others do for the same reason. In addition, I don't spam my replies with nonsensical text. I only reply with meaningful conversation (or a one-liner, if it is appropriate to the topic at hand), so as NOT to be the jerk who just drops a single reply in every topic thread in every forum. That would be irresponsible and unethical.

As long as our replies are meaningful and earnest, and the tag image exploit isn't declared officially illegitimate, are we in any danger of being punished?

I know my stance-point on it may seem cutthroat---but that's a competition for you. I happily click other people's links in their signatures, so I'm spreading the wealth too.

Modifié par jeffreykm, 01 avril 2010 - 04:41 .

[Orkchop]

It does seem like it may be a problem now,... I'm not too sure what can be done about it now, though. Someone could post their image link in forums on other sites, too, and get lots of hits that way.



Maybe BioWare will have to cap the number of hits you can have per day? Or change up the contest rules about the referral link?

[jeffreykm]

While it is a topic of discussion now, I doubt that BioWare will change the rules for the duration of the competition. Not a knock on BioWare; its just unusual for contest rules to change mid-contest, in any type of contest.

[Crixt]

Using BBS code links, while hurting the spirit of the idea, also leads to reduced spamming. Pros and cons.

[Orkchop]

And it does make people more active in the forums. I know I've replied to a lot more threads



Oh and back at the OP, one of the reasons they needed something like the referral system or something active was because there needs to be a way to get a variable amount of tokens. Or else everyone (well everyone who won a twitter contest) would have the same amount of tokens. The auctions are supposed to go to the person who bids the most tokens and we'd end up in a huge tie.

[rumination888]

I think unobtrusive use of BBCode is a lot better than viral marketing.

[Lamiea]

Maviarab wrote...
 
These non image refaral links are actually a violation of the T&C of the competition...

And where did you get that idea? There's nothing in the rules that would exclude the IMG-Tag "exploit" (although I will admit it might break the "spirit" of the rules, the spirit is not the letter and it's not against that).