Challenge Threads

Summary:

Because people actually started doing them again

Challenge Threads

Accelerando 17 Oct 2014 10:08

Ihpkmn makes one, Reach makes one, and I'm sure many more people want to make them.

Is there going to be any actual guidelines on "official" challenge threads? They can definitely encourage more content, but I'm sure no one wants a to see a giant block of text in Recent Posts for a challenge every other day. Faminepulse also suggested a single page for everyone to post challenges, which brings up the question: will there be restrictions or review for making a challenge?

Re: Challenge Threads

Crayne 17 Oct 2014 10:30

I think this is one of those things that will burn itself out all on its own, and doesn't really need any moderation.

Re: Challenge Threads

(account deleted) 17 Oct 2014 10:59

These are my thoughts on the issue as well.

Re: Challenge Threads

ProcyonLotor 17 Oct 2014 16:34

And mine.

Re: Challenge Threads

djkaktus 17 Oct 2014 10:48

IANS, but that sort of begs the question of what an official challenge is. Is it one that is created by a staff member? Is it one set up by the staff in general? I know Bright's challenges have been a pretty big deal, but are they "official", and if so, why?

Those aren't bad questions to ask if this becomes a thing. I agree with Crayne, I think, in that it'll probably pass in time. But it might be worth discussing anyway about what makes a challenge thread "official", if at all.

As an opinion, I like challenge threads. I like the content that comes from. Necessity is the mother of invention and all that. I'm also not opposed to the idea of staff creating challenges (as a whole) as a way of both interacting with the community, and spurring creative thought. That being said, if that were to happen it, might not be a bad idea to decide what something like that could look like.

Just my $00.02

Re: Challenge Threads

Eskobar 17 Oct 2014 14:51

Do we wanna consider the possibility of actual staff challenges? Like, simple things. Keep them on one page, let every interested staff member come up with them. Put them in ranking order ("O5 level challenges" put together by admins, "Level 3 challenges" put together by mods, "starting researcher challenges" put together by opstaff, something like that). Raise the stakes for each group; set the admin-level challenges at +100 net upvotes or higher, mod-level at +75, etc.

There's clearly some kind of demand for this thing; for everybody who puts together a challenge, there are always a few people who take them up on it. I figure we can inspire some excitement by getting some endorsement going for it, putting together something official. Possibly consider some kind of front-page mention for people with exceptional challenge responses.

Just thinking out loud here.

Re: Challenge Threads

(account deleted) 17 Oct 2014 17:48

While not endorsing the idea of an official challenge thread thing, I like this, and could see this maybe being a contest. Something like three tiers with 3-4 prompts and challenges of varying difficulty/strangeness, with higher/harder tiers offering more “points.” Whoever has the most points at the end of the contest wins a shiny new banana sticker and bragging rights (which is the standard prize, anyway). Maybe offer some points for doing stuff like writing an article for each of the challenges of a single tier, or for combining multiple challenges into a single thing.

Re: Challenge Threads

Rejekyll 17 Oct 2014 15:21

I don't think we should make them official. At their core, these are just fancy writing prompts. I don't think we need to give them any special recognition — at most link them all from one place. We definitely shouldn't restrict coming up with writing prompts to staff.

Re: Challenge Threads

RJB_R 17 Oct 2014 15:54

If we collected them, I would collect challenges that resulted in something being written. There are several where nobody ended up taking the challenge, iirc.

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Whether you like it or not, history is on our side. We will bury you!

Re: Challenge Threads

(account deleted) 17 Oct 2014 15:33

I'm in the Gaffney/Crayne camp here. I don't see this as a negative thing, neither do I see the need to actively promote it. I think the sitewide excitement and spirit of competition niche is filled pretty well at present with the periodic contests.

Re: Challenge Threads

Drewbear 17 Oct 2014 17:03

I don't see any need to either clamp down on them nor make them official. I do have a (mostly complete) list of challenge threads in my workbox, though, if any "officializing"¹ takes place.

Footnotes

1. _{shut up, it's a word now}

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Giving bearhugs to the unsuspecting since 1872.

Re: Challenge Threads

Photosynthetic 17 Oct 2014 21:04

Pretty much this. They're fun, and that's enough for me.

Re: Challenge Threads

AdminBright 17 Oct 2014 18:53

I think if someone were to say, make a chalanege every day, or make oodles of challenges that no one cared about, we've have to crack down… but the occaisonal one is no big deal.

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Admin, SCP Wiki

Re: Challenge Threads

Dexanote 17 Oct 2014 19:06

I don't see a problem with challenge threads unless they are spammy and stupid. Like, some newbie making a crap ton of lazy or noobish challenges in a week.

As said above, they're basically fancy writing prompts.

Re: Challenge Threads

TroyL 24 Oct 2014 00:14

It'd be nice if there was a thread in a forum, stickied up all nice and sexy, that had a full list of the challenges. Then, it can just be edited when a new one is added. Would be a good way to give someone a way to come up with something if they hit a roadblock. Sounds like a Community Outreach deal, so someone point Zyn at this post, and tell her Troy says: 'pls zyn pls.'

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"WELL FOUNDATION. YOU MADE IT SO EASY. SO VERY VERY EASY." - dimensionpotato

Re: Challenge Threads

Zyn 24 Oct 2014 05:51

http://www.scp-wiki.net/forum/t-1043838/challenge-threads

Nice enough for you, TroyL?

Re: Challenge Threads

TroyL 24 Oct 2014 06:00

It is. Thank you! :D

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"WELL FOUNDATION. YOU MADE IT SO EASY. SO VERY VERY EASY." - dimensionpotato