Merit & new rank requirements

[theymos]

In addition to activity, everyone now has a merit score, and you need both a certain activity level and a certain merit score in order to reach higher member ranks. The required scores are:

Rank	Required activity	Required merit
Brand new	0	0
Newbie	1	0
Jr Member	30	1
Member	60	10
Full Member	120	100
Sr. Member	240	250
Hero Member	480	500
Legendary	Random in the range 775-1030	1000

You get merit points when someone sends you some for one of your posts. Additionally, when someone sends you merit points, half of those points can be sent by you to other people.

Certain users are designated as "merit sources". They can create new merit out of nothing, up to a limited number per month (which differs per source). I will not be posting a definitive list of merit sources (so that people don't bug them too much), though you'll soon figure out who they are if you pay attention.

There is currently no such thing as a "demerit". I'm hoping that the positive merits alone will be fine. I could add demerits pretty easily later on if necessary, though.

I'm hoping that this system will increase post quality by:
 - Forcing people to post high-quality stuff in order to rank up. If you just post garbage, you will never get even 1 merit point, and you will therefore never be able to put links in your signature, etc.
 - Highlighting good posts with the "Merited by" line.

While we will not be directly moderating this, I encourage people to give merit to posts that are objectively high-quality, not just posts that you agree with.

Do not beg for merit excessively.

Useful infographics

Forum users have helpfully created some infographics to explain the merit system:
paxmao's infographic
ibminer's infographic
8Habits's infographic
JetSet11's infographic
zentdex's infographic
alia_armelle's infographic

If you want to be a merit source:

 1. Be a somewhat established member.
 2. Collect TEN posts written in the last couple of months by other people that have not received nearly enough merit for how good they are, and post quotes for them all in a new Meta thread. The point of this is to demonstrate your ability to give out merit usefully.
 3. We will take a look at your history and maybe make you a source.

I am especially eager to have merit sources in sub-communities such as the local sections.

Trivia:

For current members, your initial merit score is equal to the minimum required to your rank. Of that, a certain amount (less than the usual half) is spendable. The spendable amount was calculated based on your current rank and the number of activity points you earned in the last year. A Legendary member who hasn't posted in the last year would still be Legendary, but would not have any spendable merit.

If someone sends you 1 merit, the 0.5 sMerit is not wasted; it is just not shown until you get another merit point.

There are stats here, and you can find someone's merit summary by clicking the "merit" link on their profile.

[Lutpin]

tl;dr explanation as long as there is no infographic:

You have Merits, those you cannot send.
You also have sMerits, those you can only send, they have no other purpose.

When someone gives Merit to you they lose sMerit of the amount transfered and you gain Merit as well as sMerit (which in case you can send again).

Example: Should I send 10 Merit to you for a post, my sMerit would decrease by 10.
Your Merit would increase by 10 and your sMerit would increase by 5.


Merits are exclusively earned, but the sMerit part you also get keeps the circulation flowing.

(Ignoring merit sources here, for the sake of making an easy example.)

If you want to be a merit source:

Collect TEN posts that have not received nearly enough merit for how good they are, and post quotes for them all in a new Meta thread.

Does that mean all merit sources are hand selected? Is there a list of currently active merit sources? Sorry, I was lazy, should have read in full first.

The forum ranking system is a bit complicated now... It'd be nice if someone made an infographic explaining activity and merit.

I'll try this.

[Vod]

I already don't like the way clicking on +merit takes you away from the thread.  Can you please have it open in a new window?

[Kiritsugu]

So I noticed it says unused Merit can be decayed at some point in the future - What's the point of this?  Is it just to keep people from stagnating their Merit and not using it?

Also, what are your thoughts on people here using their numerous alt accounts to abuse the Merit system?  Granted, there's not much to "abuse", but someone who has a dozen alt accounts, say one of them gets selected as a Merit source, couldn't that have a negative impact on the system?

EDIT (wanted to add): Are you worried about people paying for Merit just to rank up?

I'm not complaining by any means, I like the new stuff.  Just wanted to ask a few questions.

[Kiritsugu]

I already don't like the way clicking on +merit takes you away from the thread.  Can you please have it open in a new window?

Agree 100% with this.  A new window, or maybe just code in a little box next to the post where you can type the Merit you want to give and then hit Give or something.

[BlackRock]

I wish there would have been some sort of option of giving dislike (-ve merit) to the spam/LQ posts and if any post receives certain -ve merits/dislikes,it should be automatically deleted /hidden

[BlackMambaPH]

So the main purpose of this is

- Forcing people to post high-quality stuff in order to rank up. If you just post garbage, you will never get even 1 merit point, and you will therefore never be able to put links in your signature, etc.
 - Highlighting good posts with the "Merited by" line.

Great Idea, but still in some point it will disregarded or doesn't matter. If you know what I mean.

[Lutpin]

So I noticed it says unused Merit can be decayed at some point in the future - What's the point of this?

Unused sMerit (sendable Merit). I think it's supposed to incentive rewarding others with merit and punish those that hoard their sMerit.
The merit system works only if people actively use it, else everyone is stuck at their current rank.

I wish there would have been some sort of option of giving dislike (-ve merit) to the spam/LQ posts and if any post receives certain -ve merits/dislikes,it should be automatically deleted /hidden

Given the concerns about abuse even with only positive merit, I dont know if I would support that.
There's a whole other level to possible abuse vectors when adding negative merit as well, that can decrease somebodies rank.

[monbux]

All things considered, this system is pretty cool. It is a hassle to have to go to a separate page to give points to a post - is it possible to implement this within the thread itself?

[Vod]

I already don't like the way clicking on +merit takes you away from the thread.  Can you please have it open in a new window?

Agree 100% with this.  A new window, or maybe just code in a little box next to the post where you can type the Merit you want to give and then hit Give or something.

Instead of posting you 100% agree, you should have given me 100 merit.  

I'd like to believe Theymos implemented this partly as a solution to my request.

https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=622992.0

[Lauda]

I already don't like the way clicking on +merit takes you away from the thread.  Can you please have it open in a new window?

Agree 100% with this.  A new window, or maybe just code in a little box next to the post where you can type the Merit you want to give and then hit Give or something.

Instead of posting you 100% agree, you should have given me 100 merit.  

Press your middle mouse button when trying to open a link to open it in a new window. Problem solved. Now you should have given me 200 merit.
Watching.

[yojodojo21]

Merit is some sort of a feature that can Help members of this forum be constructive and qualitative post. (I don't think if my idea is right).



P.S. O.P. merited.

[Lutpin]

Instead of posting you 100% agree, you should have given me 100 merit.

You can only give 50 merit to a user in a 30 day window.
Unless they have an alt account, they cannot give you 100 merit (right now).

Press your middle mouse button when trying to open a link to open it in a new window. Problem solved. Now you should have given me 200 merit.

Same problem, 4 alt accounts?

[Kiritsugu]

I already don't like the way clicking on +merit takes you away from the thread.  Can you please have it open in a new window?

Agree 100% with this.  A new window, or maybe just code in a little box next to the post where you can type the Merit you want to give and then hit Give or something.

Instead of posting you 100% agree, you should have given me 100 merit.  

I'd like to believe Theymos implemented this partly as a solution to my request.

https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=622992.0

But he just said to only Merit things that are high-quality, not just because you agree with things.  

[Vod]

Merited by Vod (10), monbux (6), Vod (5), yahoo62278 (5), actmyname (5), mprep (1), EFS (1), ralle14 (1), Loganota (1), yojodojo21 (1)

You should add my two contributions together (10+5) or is there some reason you want every contribution separate?

[RGBKey]

I wonder who the first one to 15 million merits will be

I like this change a lot. Hopefully we'll see an increase in post quality.

[suchmoon]

Sorry, I was lazy

Where's that demerit button when you need one...  

[theymos]

So I noticed it says unused Merit can be decayed at some point in the future - What's the point of this?  Is it just to keep people from stagnating their Merit and not using it?

There is currently no decay, but if hoarding seems to become a problem, I might add it.

Also, what are your thoughts on people here using their numerous alt accounts to abuse the Merit system?  Granted, there's not much to "abuse", but someone who has a dozen alt accounts, say one of them gets selected as a Merit source, couldn't that have a negative impact on the system?

If they don't have a source: how would they? Unless they are a source, they have to get the merit from somewhere. A group of accounts without a source can't generate merit without making good posts; they can only inefficiently spread it out among the accounts.

If they do have a source, then that's something that we'll need to detect. The merit transfers are public, so it shouldn't be that difficult. There are also various limits in place which would help to limit the damage from that.

[Kiritsugu]

So I noticed it says unused Merit can be decayed at some point in the future - What's the point of this?  Is it just to keep people from stagnating their Merit and not using it?

There is currently no decay, but if hoarding seems to become a problem, I might add it.

Also, what are your thoughts on people here using their numerous alt accounts to abuse the Merit system?  Granted, there's not much to "abuse", but someone who has a dozen alt accounts, say one of them gets selected as a Merit source, couldn't that have a negative impact on the system?

If they don't have a source: how would they? Unless they are a source, they have to get the merit from somewhere. A group of accounts without a source can't generate merit without making good posts; they can only inefficiently spread it out among the accounts.

If they do have a source, then that's something that we'll need to detect. The merit transfers are public, so it shouldn't be that difficult. There are also various limits in place which would help to limit the damage from that.

Ahhh, thanks for the response on this.  I edited my questions adding one about people trying to purchase Merit, however your last answer (the abuse detection) sort of covers that as well.  Thanks!

[numanoid]

This thread should be stickied imo.
A lot of people will ask what's merit or  how to get merits point.

1 question to theymos, how if someone/people buying/selling merit points to ranked up faster?
I hope a permaban for that person/people.