The new badges

I just found that I received a whole bunch of PMs for new "badges" because I've been here for at least 3 years. Some of the badges don't quite make sense to me though.

Attache: "Requires that you contribute a call for comments. "
Teacher: "Requires that you contribute significantly to at least 1 tutorial. "

What the heck do those mean?

Also the Uniformed badge sounds like it should be Uninformed and in the individual public profile pages it says "x Badges or" where it should say "x Badges Gold".

I received the three PMs too regarding the Forum merit badges. I'm more confused than Randomizer and I'm a Gold Admiral. Whatever that means. Click on my profile and bow to your knees when in my presence.

Dibs on the Enterprise.

It's that list that I don't understand. Some of the award descriptions make no sense.

Yes, I got the three pm's.

We were told this was coming and I kinda see what they are trying to do but really it is only of use if you will to new members.

I don't post that much nowadays because alot of topics I skim over or only read with feeling a need to add a useless post.

Indeed in some sections if I see a question asked and see the last poster and know who they are I won't post or maybe not even read as I know they will have most likely answered correctly.

Oh and the defiant and it's cloaking ability is mine, looking through bedroom windows will never have been so easy.

I concede the defiant to you good sir, and good luck.

No one ever guns for Voyager. I know it's a newer ship, and a smaller one, but the bridge is unquestionably the most BA set ever.

I don't quite understand some of the badges, either, and, to my understanding, I should have a lot more than I've got now. I mean, I need as many badges as possible to show how awesome I am, right?

Anyone who was a member before they switched from phpBB to MyDiscussions has a join date of 01/01/1970, so they've certainly been here for 3 years

No it would be about 3 years now I think.

The great "Drama Rift" didn't happen until June, 2007 - and the forum software didn't start changing until after that. So, I'd put the membership date loss at 1.5 - 2 years ago.

I guess time doesn't fly as fast as I thought.

Could you also find out what the two badges (and their silver/gold superiors) in the OP are supposed to be for? I just don't understand what the descriptions mean.

What about Ruby, Sapphire and Emerald? Or perhaps some Mother of Pearl?

I can only speculate OP, but don't consider that the final word. The first one has something to do with the "call for comments" feature not yet live on the English site. It's basically like a poll, but the poster and respondents all have to write something "significant."

There are also tutorial badges—which are supposed to be assigned manually—to be awarded to those who've written helpful guides and tutorials. I've been told that this applies retroactively, so at the very least, the author of the best stickies on this forum deserve the badge.

I'll share more concrete details once I've got 'em.

Off the topic of badges, but I would like to suggest the veterans with thousands of posts be given fair point credit for prior posts to the implementation of the new member ranking system. I was given approximately .25 'points' per prior post. That my friend is not fair and hardly diplomatic on the person responsible for the blunder. The veterans are disrespected and that makes no sense when you consider the purpose of all the change:

allow experts to be recognized in their expertise area
allow visitors to see that we have forums with expert users
invite new users to [use the] forum features

The issuing of badges is more confusing than helpful. No one knows what it all means. Especially the person who dreamed it up. I'm sure he surrendered immediately.

You can't expect a useful thread in that section.

Yea that's a problem. Unless you click on a username you don't know what badges they have. Most people will just look at the titles under the avatar.

I like TPUs solution, where you get stars under your name.
The way you get the stars? Thanks are given by various readers of the thread.
No titles, nothing demeaning nor flamboyant either

See, I even used a french word or deu

Well if you have alot of badges you won't have much room under the avatar. I have 5 badges and can't see where they're going to fit.

It might make it a bit messy though. Lots of people already complain about signatures.

There could be a tiny bar underneath each avatar that simply displays the badges. A gold circle, then a number, a silver circle, then a number, etc. I think it would fit nicely. I can draw a sample after I get home from work, if needed, but I think it's pretty simple.

Though, IMHO, stars are a better system than the badges. Sure, the badges can show dedication in an area...but are people really going to look up how reputable the person is in a particular area? Stars are also simpler, in some fashion - everyone knows that 4 stars are better than 2. (then again, everyone knows that more gold is better than bronze...)

No excuses. Give the veteran members 4 points per post minimum. Otherwise the Member ranking System means nothing in relation to the history of this Forum. Best answer to qualify for a badge? What if the 'best answer' is wrong?

Thank you for trying.

I hear ya ...

Just noticed that the latest forum update has added some new things with regards to badges. See left of JohnnyLucky's post here: http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/ [...] m#t1980170

Not good enough. I expect you to be on this list at least 3 times at all times wuzy.

It's still broken though, if I view my profile on the .com forum I see this:-

but I'm in the UK and so I always see this:-

Any chance of fixing it so they at least tally up. TIA