User Points Systems

I have up-and-down results with Stamps (points) - people will have spurts of going out of their way for points, usually because they want a cameo, a bonus story, or to ask a question (my favorite), but some people have oodles of points and never spend them, and sometimes the same people will go idle for eons.

Voting on Bonus Stories and Questions seem to be the biggest Point-spends I have.

I decided to have my readers work toward a common goal of 100 points. Individual points would also be a lot of work for me to keep track of, since I'd have to do it manually. Basically, everyone pitches in--and this makes it so that everyone benefits.

Here was my system...

Sadly, I can't say that it has really encouraged them to interact more. They still seem to comment and help out at the same degree they did before my points system, and if there's any reason for an increase in participation, it seems more just because I've gained new readers.

So far all I'm offering are bonus updates (at a minimum of 2000 words.) The only other thing I can think to offer them is special artwork, but art is a little hard for me to whip up on the fly, and I prefer using it as an incentive for Facebook users and to add some flavor to the site. I have some ideas for "cooler" sounding incentives, but they all require a great deal of time and effort (even money) and would only really be good for one time use.

Cameos sound like a neat idea. Maybe you could try Q&A, too? Readers can try and earn points to ask a question of their favorite character. Also, maybe you can draw a short comic with your characters? I've considered doing that a few times.

The Q&A work really well, and since they cost less points than a whole bonus story, a) people can buy them more easily, and b) I don't have to write as much.

~L

From a reader's perspective, things like "ask a character a question" and "get a special story by request" don't really interest me. I read because I want to see what the AUTHOR is going to do with the story and the characters, not because of what I want them to do.

Automate it
Usually, you're asking your reader to go to a forum and request something. It puts the burden on them to come up with an idea and ask you to write it, but the problem there is that you have multiple hurdles. You have to convince them they want something. Once you do that, they have to decide what they want. Once you do that, you have to convince them it's worth having. Once you do that, you have to convince them to ask for it. Once you do that, you the author have to approve it. Once you do that, you have to write it. Once you do that, you have to hope they like it.

It'd be easier if you automated the process. Write premium content that can only be seen by users with a certain point value. Drupal can easily do this with a combination of modules. Find one that allows you to auto-apply user roles once users reach a certain point value. Then find one that allows you to restrict certain nodes to users with a certain role. i.e., if you want to see Level 2 content, you have to be a Level 2 user.

Community Points
For a while on GabrielGadfly, I did something like this: I had a "community" user account called TheHub. As users accrued points, they could choose to donate points to TheHub. When the Hub reached a certain point value, the community earned a bonus -- an extra chapter, a downloadable audio recording, something like that. This has ups and downs -- you end up with a few busy users who carry the whole thing for everyone, while it doesn't do anything to encourage the lurkers to start posting, which (in my opinion) is the thing points are meant to do.

Points have encouraged interaction a lot, though I'm revamping rewards right now; I can't regularly commit to bonus stories for a while. They seem more excited about getting their badge, though!

I use Wordpress, and I haven't found a way to easily automate point rewards or user access. :/

MeiLin's badges are pretty awesome. If I was better at graphic design, I would make badges for my readers.

Mine seem to be pretty happy with bonus stories (they can request one every 50 points, though I'm a bit slow writing them, unfortunately). Of course, it's quite possible that there are readers who would sign up or comment more often if I had different rewards...

I've never used points or anything, but I have recently noticed a decline in interaction (although not an appreciable decline in readership, if I can trust google analytics...)

I wonder if it is less a problem with your point systems and more the fact that it is close to the holidays, people are more busy, etc??

If I ever do implement a point system, I think I would use it instead of cash (like give people codes to read stuff on smashwords for free--I currently work on a serial+ model, like MCM) and I would give points for advertising me, i.e. telling friends. Problem is, I can't really figure out how I would track the fact that people advertised me... ? On twitter, it would be easy. Just assign myself a hash tag, which I could search for. But on facebook or myspace, it would be considerably harder.

Anyway, I think I've gotten waaay off topic.

Sorry.

Wait, Gabriel - which Drupal modules let you set it up so folks with X points can access things? That sounds very much like something I've been trying to figure out how to do.

As for points - so far I haven't found they've done much to inspire posting, comments, or chatting. Though Jan did seem to like the ballad she 'won'. People who are going to post, etc. will do so regardless.

I just described something on my blog that I have been noodling with for a while, which ties into the idea of user points. It's a somewhat strange notion, and I would love feedback.

I am describing an engagement management system, sort of a social network for readers/writers, in which writers can write stories using basic building blocks (person, place and thing), as well as dialog and description. The trick is, the writer is able to privately create these things in the engagement system, but cannot publicly use one of them in a story until it has had "life" breathed into it. This is managed using gifts (like facebook gifts) - so the more you write, the more gifts you receive, the more gifts you receive, the more you can write. The reader angle is that readers also supply writers with gifts, so if a writer has more readers, that writer will have more access to gifts, which means more characters, more settings etc. Hence user points have value both to the reader and the writer.

It sounds very artificial at first blush, but I have a feeling that a writing and engagement structure, if sufficiently flexible, would offer an incentive to the writer, by disrupting writer's block, and by narrowing the gap between writer and reader.

I've been tooling around with this idea for quite a while. Like I say, it would not appeal to everyone, but I'd love to know what you think.

Blog post: Engagement Engines

Oooh April, I haven't been commenting lately because I can't seem to find the time to read...
And I did really like the ballad you wrote for me. As far as personal incentives go, I believe you are an example, because you put so much work in it.

I have a theory about all ths stuff somewhere, but I worked until 6 in the night and desperately need to finish my paper now and my head is exploding, so I'll look it up some other time.

It's a multi-step process.

• First, you need the basic Userpoints module to give points functionality.
• Grab the Userpoints_Role module
• This lets you auto-apply a given role when users reach a certain point value.
• Now you need a module to let you limit access to nodes based on roles. I use one called Node Access Control, but you can use anything you like so long as it allows you. With Node Access Control, you'll get a new field anytime you create a piece of content that will allow you to limit who can view it and a few other tools.

Workflow is a bit like this: User earns points. When x points are earned, user gains new role. When user has y role, user can see z content.

Interestingly, if you add the Ecommerce module into the mix, you can allow users to purchase access to certain content by giving them the ability to purchase a role. Userpoints can interact with Ecommerce, and you can decide whether to let them purchase the role with userpoints or with real cash.

Hey, Gabe, I'm kind of getting a sunburn from all this basking in your awesome.

That latter part I didn't know--the hooks between ecom and userpoints. Thanks!

*research research*

"There is no charge for awesomeness...or attractiveness."

I'm not sure if Ubercart allows anything similar, but I'm sure it probably does. There's several ways you could pull it all together.

Throw the Rules module into the mix, and you can do all sorts of fun things:

• Send the user a configurable e-mail when they reach x points
• Better yet, send yourself (or any arbitrary e-mail address, really) a configurable e-mail when any site user reaches x points
• Useful if you want to know, for example, who the first user to reach 100 points is
• Redirect the user to a special page when they reach x points
• Automatically award points every day (or even hourly with cron jobs)
• When someone views the user's profile, award that user x points
• And a lot more...

Edit: For users running Drupal 6, you can use the Simple Access module instead of Node Access Control. It does essentially the same thing.

Since this is a pretty involved topic, I've launched the first of a series of articles about point systems and how Weblit folks can use them:

The Weblit Writer's Guide To Point-Based Incentive Systems

This first article is a general overview of point systems and how they're commonly used, including a lot of ideas for ways your users can earn points and for rewards you can let them earn.

The second article will be a general tutorial and guide to the Drupal User Points module, going over the install, basic functionality, and maintenance tips.

The third article will be an advanced tutorial about extending the User Points module by linking it into other modules like Rules, ECommerce, Flags, User Badges, and more.

Additional articles may come as the topic evolves.

Second article is up: A Basic Guide To Drupal's User Points Module For Weblit Writers.

As a reader, I usually don't care for points. It just seems too gimmicky and restrictive to me, like the site wants to chain me down, or something. If I want to tell the author how awesome the story is, or how awesome he/she is, I can leave a comment or email, and that suffices for me.

As a writer, I'd shy away from points for the same kind of reason. Based on what I've read above, it seems like the concept generally doesn't work, anyhow. It seems as though those who want to participate will, and those that don't, won't.

I think it's more a matter of making the story available/shareable in multiple formats so as to hit the people who are visual/textual/audial-focussed, and allowing them to carry it with them wherever they are (ipod, FB, printed). At least that's my suspicion -- that it boils down to content preference and content mobility.