Hi PF staff, I just want to voice my opinion about something that is bothering me about the points system. I rarely go to the tips section, but was just browsing through today when I seen someone had cut and pasted one of my walkthroughs for Wedding Dash 2. It would have been fine, but I was not the credited for making the walkthrough, and someone else got points because the asker thought they had made it. Those walkthroughs can take hours to make, and I don't appreciate people plagiarizing me and getting the glory. Does anyone else find this annoying?

i don't like it at all. mizzmm
 
lisa,
i think you should also post this in the lounge.
 

I know this may surprise some, but I couldn't agree more!
 
LisaAimee - you certainly deserve recognition for all the help you have provided with your detailed walkthroughs!  I am sincerely sorry if my posting links to walkthroughs (with credit given!) gave anyone the idea to start cutting and pasting your walkthroughs as their own.  That is really low!  I'm also sorry that I earned points by linking to other people's hard work - my intention was never to gather points, simply to help.  It never even crossed my mind that I was gaining anything by doing it because I was under the understanding that points were meaningless beyond bragging rights, something that I'm not interested in anyhow.
 
Way back when the beta site was unveiled I posted my reservations about points and I haven't changed my mind since then.  I think that having a points system leads to a whole lot of junk posting and in this case plagerizing! 
 
I think it would be fantastic if there was a link under each game to the forum the way there is to the tips.  So many questions are asked over and over. 
 
I think the real problem is that when new people originally come to the beta site they see the tips section right there front and center and don't even know that there is a huge forum filled with tips, walkthroughs, and conversation about each game. 
 
I haven't created any walkthroughs.  I didn't see a need to reinvent the wheel, there are already such detailed ones posted by LisaAimee, jeny8675309ca, and others.  I answered a lot of questions giving tips that have helped me pass levels and earn expert scores.  Almost every time I gave my tips I also posted a link to the appropriate forum where a walkthrough could be found.  Many many many of my answers include links back to the forums, both for walkthroughs and for the lounge area.  The reason I did it wasn't to earn a bunch of points, but rather to raise awareness about the forums.
 
It is so confusing having so much information duplicated in both areas! 
 
I hope the PF staff will read through a bunch of the answers given in the TIPS section just to see how often (a) the answer is already available in the forums  or (b) the answers are junk posted just to earn someone points.  I wonder how many answers don't fall into those 2 catagories? 
 
I like helping people.  As long as the TIPS section is front and center and as long as people are looking for answers I will help when I can, whether I earn points for doing so or not.  I just think that maybe the forums could be the highlighted part and the TIPS could be eliminated.
 
 

:O They did? Who did it? That's just plain wrong! Lemme get my brick on a string and bring on a whoopin! lol I need to clm down just a teeny bit.

that really stinks Lisa, I don't blame you for being upset, that happened way back when ...a couple of years ago I had just started reading the playfirst forums and I recognized some walkthroughs that Jen had done on RA for Diner Dash games that someone had claimed as his/her own and exposed them for it. I know how hard it must be to do walkthroughs, and believe me they are really appreciated by all. I think the points thing is a lame idea and should be done away with. I don't think people should help other players just to get points.

Thanks guys, I feel better after venting!

If I've done this I'm sorry i usually post a link to a walkthrough without giving credit, but I never claim them as my own.
I only say that I found it in the forum.

Camisado it wasn't you. It was someone I've never seen on PF before.

Hi Lisa,
 
I'm sorry that this has happened.  I noticed that the new look of the site is up now.  Quite a surprise and all since I had no idea when that would happen.
 
It looks like the points system is still up.  I guess we'll all just have to wait and see how things go.  I don't get quite as affected by what happens here since I only come on PF sometimes due to my busy schedule and all.
 
But I hope to see everyone that I've come to know here still come despite the new look and system.  I'll make the best of it.  :)

I do not agree much with the points either. They are completely pointless and do cause a lot of junk posting. I'm sorry someone copy and pasted your walkthrough. The tip area does cause an annoyance. I agree too many people ask the same questions over and over, most of which are answered right here in the forums. Well, maybe PlayFirst will tweak the idea or remove it all together after reading this thread. I know I will keep posting in the tips area, not for the points, but simply because I want to help people that probably have no idea about the forums. I think I'm going to try to include a link to a relevant forum from now on like someone said to raise awareness.