Possible new addition?

[jimnyc]

Anyone interested in a sort of 'debate contests'? There is an add-on for vB that will allow only 2 specified users to post in a thread (and admins as well by default). Users can be chosen if they volunteer, and we can later vote on a debate winner. Here is a snippet from the developer about the add-on:

1- Allow members to add userIDs of debaters when creating a new thread so that only the thread owner and added members can reply, in addition of course to the Admin and mod of the forum
2- Admin and mod can add, remove debaters after the thread creation
3- When viewing the thread, it will show on top that this is a private debate between the thread owner and selected member names

Thoughts?

 

[dilloduck]

Anyone interested in a sort of 'debate contests'? There is an add-on for vB that will allow only 2 specified users to post in a thread (and admins as well by default). Users can be chosen if they volunteer, and we can later vote on a debate winner. Here is a snippet from the developer about the add-on:

1- Allow members to add userIDs of debaters when creating a new thread so that only the thread owner and added members can reply, in addition of course to the Admin and mod of the forum
2- Admin and mod can add, remove debaters after the thread creation
3- When viewing the thread, it will show on top that this is a private debate between the thread owner and selected member names

Thoughts?

Might be interesting but I see it rapidly turning into a poularity contest as opposed to a valid assessment of debating skills.

 

[CSM]

Anyone interested in a sort of 'debate contests'? There is an add-on for vB that will allow only 2 specified users to post in a thread (and admins as well by default). Users can be chosen if they volunteer, and we can later vote on a debate winner. Here is a snippet from the developer about the add-on:

1- Allow members to add userIDs of debaters when creating a new thread so that only the thread owner and added members can reply, in addition of course to the Admin and mod of the forum
2- Admin and mod can add, remove debaters after the thread creation
3- When viewing the thread, it will show on top that this is a private debate between the thread owner and selected member names

Thoughts?

Hmmm...that might lead to multiple debates on the same topic going on in parallel. I am not sure if that is a good or a bad thing.

 

[The ClayTaurus]

Might be interesting but I see it rapidly turning into a poularity contest as opposed to a valid assessment of debating skills.

That and the conservative viewpoint, no matter how poorly argued, will always beat the liberal viewpoint no matter how ingeniously argued.

It will turn into nothing more than voting for what side of the issue you support regardless of actual debate skill. Some people can't even handle the rep system maturely; I think we're all a bit crazy if we expect people to actually recognize debate skill instead of which argument they take up.

That said, I'm sure there are some neutral topics that would be fun to debate. I'd take Sitarro on about Macs... or my car... or my hat...

Actually, if there were a way that debaters could be anonymous then it'd be like the Pepsi challenge. At least that might eliminate the popularity side of things...

 

[dilloduck]

That and the conservative viewpoint, no matter how poorly argued, will always beat the liberal viewpoint no matter how ingeniously argued.

It will turn into nothing more than voting for what side of the issue you support regardless of actual debate skill. Some people can't even handle the rep system maturely; I think we're all a bit crazy if we expect people to actually recognize debate skill instead of which argument they take up.

That said, I'm sure there are some neutral topics that would be fun to debate. I'd take Sitarro on about Macs... or my car... or my hat...

Actually, if there were a way that debaters could be anonymous then it'd be like the Pepsi challenge. At least that might eliminate the popularity side of things...

Or set up the debates but lose the "voting on a winner" function. We already have a rep system for that.

 

[The ClayTaurus]

Or set up the debates but lose the "voting on a winner" function. We already have a rep system for that.

What's the point then? Just have the debate in the thread as regular.

 

[dilloduck]

What's the point then? Just have the debate in the thread as regular.

That IS the point !