Has the influence score disappeared?

Although I will also miss the influence score, I tend to believe that it is part of a strategy for taking the site/platform to a new level. PMI knows more than anyone the patterns of behavior on the site related to specific features/functions, as it is fully measurable and would be part of routine site management.

Would they remove a feature if they thought it would detrimentally impact the value and draw of the site? I do not think so; therefore, its part of a plan that we should see unfold over time, hopefully, near-time.

Food for thought.

The only reason I can think of is they have appeased the masses to create a level of mediocrity amongst the hordes. When the surfs can see the noble's eating mutton and chugging wine, while they toil over a loaf of bread and cup of rice, the masses become uneasy and envious. That's when the Lords sweep in and offer some respite from their woes by diverting their attention from what is really offending the surfs - the influence score of the nobles - and make them feel like they are the same, but without putting in the same level of effort, engagement and knowledge. That's my little medieval analogy.

Hi Daire, it's permanent I'm afraid, unless they wake up and realize it was one of the attractions for member engagement, love it or hate it. You don't build gamification into websites, increase engagement, only to pull key attractions in that gamification process from under members' feet.

The importance of the “influence score” to the “influence headliners” is a well-known fact. It has been a periodic topic and is also apparent based on the effort that it takes for one to maintain their score. However, those headliners are a tiny segment of the community as a whole.

I would also caution that we should NOT assume that surveys/interviews were not done regarding changes to the site. For instance, many assumed that the “new branding” was done without PMI getting feedback from members; however, we now understand that they did reach out. Isn’t this likely a situation wherein we are making assumptions for the fact that we do not have first-hand knowledge (meaning, we were not part of the group that was reached out to)?

We should also recognize that the “influence score” was essentially a game (i.e., game-ification) that many of us (which includes me) vested time into. This vesting, by its nature, made the game (i.e., the headlining) part of our identity, hence our push back with its removal.

This is my own personal self-evaluation on this topic that I have projected out. So, please understand that I’m not preaching but instead sharing to you what I have resolved for myself – as I struggled through my feelings on this subject.

It seems to have disappeared... but is definitely or temporary?

Hi Kiron, kind of like taking screenshots of old badges that still appear in the badge list. Does taking a screenshot of the number two position really do anything for you, given that you should have been number 1 for over a year given your engagement with the community?